Slayers Inheritance
by Michael P Hopcroft
Summary: 25 years after the end of Slayers TRY, Lina Inevrse's daughter Anya is ready to take on the world. But rescuing an endangered girl has put her in the sights of one of her mother's old acquantances -- and his intentions are NOT friendly...
1. You Must Meet My Daughter!

SLAYERS INHERITANCE

"You Must Meet My Daughter! The Fury of Anya Inverse!" by Michael Hopcroft

The Ogre Claws were having a feast. True, it had been at the expense of the

nearby farming village, from whom they had taken a good portion of the harvest and all the cash from the banks and treasury. But when bandits had a party, they partied hard! Wine flowed freely, the food was plentiful, and every virgin in the village was chained off to the side of the camp to provide the evening's "entertainment". Life was good for the bandits.

So none of them noticed when a petite young woman walked into their camp. They had not thought to post guards. The girl thought it was stupid of them, but typical of bandits. This was her graduation exercise, and if she couldn't handle this she'd get a severe scolding.

The direct plan seemed best, but then she saw the girls, cowering in terror. The sight of it made the girl's blood boil. Filthy bandits! No way was she going to let them have their way now! Abandoning her original plan, she muttered an incantation under her breath and pointed towards the captives. In an instant their chains fell to pieces, no longer connected, every link shattered. With a motion of her hands, she let one of the village girls know to run. The girls all took one look at her and ran as fast as they could. As soon as they were out of sight, she was ready.

"Hey, you! Having a party and not inviting me! How rude!"

The bandit leader, deep in his cups, looked up at her and noticed she was wearing red and gold traveling clothes and a black cape. Her hair was long sand blonde, her frame petite but her figure full. Were it not for the air of menace she exuded, she would have been quite tasty. Then he turned his head and saw that his captives were gone.

"Hey! What happened to our girls? And who the hell are you?"

"I'm going to be your entertainment for the evening." The girl said firmly. "But you won't survive the performance..."

"You're pretty full of yourself, aren't you, little bitch? You really don't want to die in your innocence, do you?"

The girl smiled. "I have only one thing to say to that - FIREBALL!"

With a gesture, a ball of flame formed in her hand. She hurled it at the core of the bandit group and it exploded with a titanic boom, sending flames and charred bodies everywhere.

The rest of the bandits were coming out of their stupor and several of them

charged towards her. Fine, she though, time to show them my other talents. In an instant a gleaming sword was out of her scabbard, and every bandit that approached was cut down before they could even react. After twelve bandits fell at her feet without a scratch being laid on her, the rest of the bandits began to back away. Seeing no opportunity to attack they waited as their leader approached her.

The man smelled of unwashed socks and other things too grotesque to mention. "Not bad. I'd think you were the legendary bandit-killer Lina Inverse if you didn't have such a nice pair. If this is your audition, I'm impressed."

"The performance has only started." She replied.

"But you're not Lina Inverse. You know you can't take on an entire bandit gang by yourself and win. What say you give up? Join our gang! Have some fun! Put your talents to profitable use."

"As a bandit's whore? I don't think so."

"Then we'll just have to kill you after all, won't we?"

"You first."

The bandit leader backed away. 'TEAR HER TO PIECES!" he commanded, only to be met by a flurry of flaming bolts decimating what was left of his band.

Now he was terrified. The strange sorceress had not said a word, and she had let loose a flurry of flare arrows? He was about to command a retreat, then he realized there was nobody left to command, only he and the girl were left standing.

The girl smiled. "And now I have MY fun. Any last words?"

The leader gulped. "I must admit, this was a performance worthy of the legendary Lina Inverse. If you're going to kill me, will you at least tell me who you are?"

"My name's Anya. And my mother would appreciate the compliment. Just for that I'm going to let you live. Run. Run as fast as you can, and tell everyone you know about me. Tell them there's a new Inverse in this world, and that they should find another way to earn a living if they want to keep on living. Banditry just became an unprofitable profession."

The bandit leader backed away long enough to make sure he wouldn't get the sword in the back, and then he turned tail and ran.

Anya sheathed her sword and took out a whistle. Blowing into it, she waited for the answering whistle from over the hill. It came, and soon enough a covered horse-drawn wagon came over the hills.

A red-haired woman leapt out of the driver's seat and smiled. "This is incredible, Anya!" she said. "Definitely up to the Inverse standards."

'Thanks, Mom! Want to help me load the gold into the wagon?"

"Your father can do that. He's still big and strong."

A man with long blond hair leapt out of the wagon and went to where Anya pointed out the bandits' gold. "Did you use the sword technique I showed you?"

"I think I may have even improved on it. If any of them survived they'll have something to remember."

"That's my daughter!" cried Lina Inverse. "A chip off the old block of both sides of the family!"

"Yeah, I'm impressed too!" said Gourry Gabriev.

Anya frowned. "These bandits were scum. Did you realize they were going to rape all the girls from the village? I can't stand anyone who'd do something like that. The world is definitely better off without this gang."

Lina kicked aside a corpse that was in her way. "Compared to what you'll have to face in the future, these guys were saints. You haven't seen Mazoku yet. They're the real problem."

"I know, as the daughter of history's greatest monster-hunters, Lina Inverse and Gourry Gabriev, I am to carry on the fight, and so on. But I barely worked up a sweat against these bandits. And I'm starving."

"We'll all have a big breakfast when we get into Derlis in the morning. Now help your father with the treasure."

An hour later they were on the road. Anya was driving the wagon, wishing she could have spent the night in a nice soft bed. True, it had been a good night's work, and she'd actually done something good by rescuing those girls, but surely there was more to being the daughter of a pair of legends than this?

Familiar yet disturbing noises came form the inside of the wagon. "Pipe down back there! Mom1 Dad! Can't you wait for a bed?"

Of course they didn't hear her. Anya shook her head. At the rate they went at it, it was a continued source of amazement to her that she was an only child. Of course, she knew it was her mother's fearsome reputation that stopped her from having to fight off the boys with a stick; not that they ever stuck around in one place long enough for her to get to know any boys her age.

The life of the road, of sleeping in inns and eating at restaurants, was the only life Anya Inverse had ever known. Her parents always had money, always

could afford their massive meals and decent accommodations, but they had never settled down. It was better this way, of course; with all the powerful and cosmic enemies they had made over the years, the only way to keep the family together was to keep moving. And she was grateful they hadn't foisted her on that awful aunt of hers.

Fact was that, in spite of everything, Lina and Gourry had turned out to be

great parents. They were always there for her when she needed them, they had each taught her their trades, and she never lacked for anything she really needed. Every so often they would visit the court of Seyruun and she would have a grand time with the Royal Family; having connections was always handy. True, the children were all chimeras like their father, but they were good people and good friends. The second son was actually kind of cute...

The activity in the back died down, to be replaced by quiet. At least they didn't make much noise when they were asleep. In her mind, Anya ran through a series of incantations for new spells she was trying to learn.

Hours later Lina crawled into the driver's seat. "OK, Anya. I've had enough rest. You should get some sleep yourself."

"I'm OK, Mom. And must you make that much noise every night? I mean, I know you love Dad and all, but really. People would think you were teenagers!"

"When you find your man, Anya dear, you'll find out there's no time or place that's wrong to express your feelings."

"From the noise, you'd think you were butchering cattle back there."

"It's not a silent activity - at least not if you're doing it right - and believe me, your father does it right." Lina took the reins. "Get some sleep, Anya. We'll be in Derlis in a few hours. I have a feeling something special is going to happen in that town."

Anya shrugged. "Good night, Mom. I'll try not to wake Daddy with my snoring."

"You don't snore. Believe me, I'd know." Anya climbed up into the back of the wagon, found her bedroll, and settled down to sleep.

A few moments later Gourry climbed into the driver's seat beside his wife. He planted a kiss on her forehead and turned to face the road ahead. "You haven't told her yet?" he asked.

"Why we're going to Derlis? No. I don't want to frighten her."

"Did you have the dream again?"

"Worse. I think he's trying to scare me."

Gourry chuckled. "Little chance of that. Lina Inverse doesn't scare that easy."

"No, but Anya might. It may be up to her after all. We've both taught her well, but will she be ready? I'm worried about her. She didn't choose this life, she didn't choose her parents, and she sure as hell didn't choose my enemies as her own."

"She's a strong girl. What she needs to do when the time comes, she'll find a way. And it's not like she won't have friends along the way."

"I know. I just have the feeling that what she's walking into - by all rights, it shouldn't be her fight."

Gourry smiled. "She'll be OK. She may have your name, but she has the Gabriev bloodline as well. You know how hard it is to keep me down."

Lina smiled back and kissed him. "You're wonderful Gourry. Always there to pick me up when I get too serious. I hope she finds someone like you someday."

"Only smarter."

"Oh, I think big, dumb and gorgeous will do just fine. What other kind of man would fall in love with an Inverse?"

Derlis was a medium-sized town of about a thousand people, a thriving merchant community with trade in goods both magical and mundane. Nobody met them at the town gates, so Lina just pulled up the wagon to an inn they'd stayed at before.

The stable boy took the reins of their horses, unhitched them, and led them to the stables to rest. Lina prodded Gourry awake - naturally he'd fallen asleep in the seat - and called out "Oi! Sleepyhead! We're here! Wake up and have some breakfast!"

There was a groggy murmur from the back of the wagon.

"DECLEARY!" cried Lina and a stream of energy flowed from her hands into the back of the van. A moment later Anya climbed out. She was awake, and she was none too happy about it.

"Mom! Did you have to wake me up with magic? I would have gotten up eventually."

"We have to check into the inn, and then we need to get you your graduation breakfast," said Lina, "and then we have some shopping to do."

Suddenly Lina stopped and looked around, as if she had sniffed something unpleasant in the air. "Anya, Gourry, inside." She looked around and saw that Anya looked uneasy. Gourry, of course, hadn't noticed anything. "What are you waiting for? Go!"

Anya took a step towards her mother, but Gourry pulled her into the inn.

Lina turned and was suddenly face to face with a familiar man with purple hair and priestly robes. "So you are here." She said to him. "Can't say I'm surprised."

The man looked down trying to look innocent, which Lina knew meant his intentions were anything but. "Now, Lina, is that any way to greet an old friend?"

"Just tell me what you're doing here. Oh wait, I remember, it's a secret."

"Children are such a hassle, aren't they?" the man said. "Never do what you want them to. And you've never introduced me to the charming Anya. You have nothing to fear from me, Lina. Just -"he then paused and looked her straight in the eye. "Just don't get in my way today. You wouldn't like the consequences."

"I was wondering when you'd get around to threatening me directly, Xellos. You know I've taken down bigger Mazoku than you over the years."

"Yes, and I have a healthy respect for your power. But even your formidable

powers are not going to be capable of handling what's about to happen. I'd really hate to see anything happen to you or your family. Do you really think you can protect them, if it comes right down to it?"

Lina smiled. "As you are so fond of saying, Xellos, that is a secret."

Anya looked back out the closed door of the inn, wishing there was a spell to turn wood into glass. "What's going on, Daddy?" she asked. "Will Mom be alright?"

"Knowing your mother, she'll be joining us for breakfast soon. She's just paying the proper respects to an old friend."

Anya and Gourry were shown to a table. Soon a girl walked up to their table carrying menus. The first thing Anya noticed about her was her bright purple hair; the second thing she noticed was that the waitress would not look her in the eye.

Anya took the menu and looked over the selections. "The griddle cakes any good at this place?" she asked.

The girl did not answer. Anya and Gourry looked across the table at each other and Gourry nodded.

Anya looked at the girl. "You're not all right, are you? If you're having a problem, you can tell us."

The girl stood silently, now looking a little bit frightened.

Anya smiled at her. "Come on, girl to girl. I can tell something's wrong. Are you afraid of sorcerers? Is that it?"

The girl stammered. "You -- you're a sorcerer?" she finally said.

"That's right. And that's my daddy over there. He's the greatest swordsman in the world."

The waitress swallowed hard, bent over and whispered in Anya's ear. "I don't want the boss to hear this, but, if you can - could you please kill me before it's too late?"

Anya grew wide-eyed in shock. Gourry hadn't heard what the girl had whispered into her ear, but he could tell Anya was stunned.

Anya spoke in a low tone, so that only the girl could hear. "I don't want to kill anybody, and from what I'm reading you don't really want to die. What are you afraid of?"

"He wants me. I know it. The man your mother is talking to outside. He's come for me, and I'm sure he'll make me do terrible things. Things worse than dying."

"You'd better take our order before they get suspicious in the inn. I'll talk to you soon. Nothing's going to happen to you. Trust me?"

The girl looked at Anya wide-eyed, then slowly nodded.

"Good." Said Anya. "Now take our order. And what's your name? I like to know who I'm lending a hand to."

"Titania." the girl said. "My name is Titania."

"Well, Titania, I'll have a triple portion of the breakfast special and a full pot of coffee."

By the time Lina walked into the inn Anya and Gourry were already eating Titania was standing by the side of their table, as she had already been asked to bring several extra portions and nobody else was in the restaurant, everyone else

being done with breakfast. Lina sat down, and looked over to Gourry, who nodded to her. She looked at Anya, who was dividing her attention between her meal and the waitress.

Anya finally got up. "I'm finished." She said. "Titania, could you show me to my room please?" Titania nodded and went over to the desk for a key. Any followed close behind.

"I held back, just like you told me to" said Gourry.

"Good. You noticed that girl's presence?"

'Even I noticed that. Think Anya could tell?"

"She wouldn't be our daughter if she couldn't. It'll be very interesting to see what she'll do now."

Titania walked Anya over to the room, and handed her the key.

"Come inside for a moment?" Anya said. "We can finally talk in private."

"I'm sorry -- I shouldn't involve you in this after all. It's not your problem that I am the victim of wrongful life." Titania turned to go, but Anya caught her arm.

"My mother had a friend who hated himself just as much as you say you hate yourself now, more in fact. Know what happened to him?"

"He died?"

"No, silly! He married a Queen who loved him no matter how monstrous he thought he was."

"You can tell then? Things happen around me, horrible things. My very presence seems to cause pain and misery to others. I step out into the street; someone steps out in front of me and gets hit by a carriage or trampled by a horse. I've had hostels I've been staying in catch fire, killing everyone inside but me. Too many horrible things have happened that I can't dismiss them as accidents anymore. And now he appears."

"He? Who is he?"

"The devil priest. You must have seen him. He confronted my mother last night and demanded I come with him. She refused, and he left her in tears. She seemed to know him, and there's something horrible yet familiar about him that I can feel."

"He won't get you, Titania. I won't let him. And I don't think any of those

horrible things that happen around you are your fault. We are only responsible for what we choose to do, Titania. That's what makes us human."

"But you feel it? The presence around me? Everyone I've ever met who's been

sensitive to magic has sensed something about me. Surely you sense it too."

"I sense some power, but that doesn't make you a monster."

"But what if that's EXACTLY what I am? What if I really am monster?"

Anya smiled. "Then you'll just have to be one of the GOOD monsters." Anya looked at her. "Come on, Titania, surely you know how to smile."

Titania responded with a wan smile.

"You can do better than that," chided Anya. "Before we're through I'll even get you to laugh. And not a laugh of megalomania either, a real laugh."

Outside the inn, the priest looked up as if he could see everything that was going on.

"So that's the daughter of Lina Inverse," he said to himself. "Well, I guess this is where it begins. I hope Lina can forgive me for what I'm going to have to do to that girl...."

TO BE CONTINUED


	2. What's With This Girl?

SLAYERS INHERITANCE "What's With that Girl? Mysterious Titania!" by Michael Hopcroft  
  
"Hi! It's me, Anya Inverse! My parents are Lina Inverse and Gourry Gabriev, the legendary adventurers and monster-slayers. Anyway, I've just beaten my first bandit gang by myself and the whole family has come to Derlis for what was supposed to me my graduation party. But then this strange waitress comes to our table and asks me to kill her! Turns out she has this strange presence that makes horrible things happen around her. Well, I'm not going to kill an innocent girl – I'm an innocent girl myself! But this girl seems seriously messed up. What's a girl to do in a situation like this?"  
  
Lina and Gourry were done with breakfast and walked up the stairs to their room. But Lina then saw that Anya's door was open, and Anya was talking very seriously with – the waitress?  
  
Gourry looked in over Lina's shoulder. "I didn't think Anya was interested in girls. I wonder if this means no grandchildren." He got an elbow in the ribs for his trouble.  
  
"Hush! I can feel a presence emanating from the room. Something incredibly powerful. I'd better do something." Lina walked into the room. "Anya! Are you all right?" Lina and the waitress looked at each other, and the new girl blanched.  
  
"Mother!" said Anya. She only called Lina "mother" when she was angry with her. "Don't you know better than to barge in on a girl-to-girl talk?"  
  
"I was just worried about you, that's all."  
  
"Well, I'm OK. Titania, this is my mother, Lina Inverse. If anybody can help you, she can."  
  
Now it was Lina's turn to blanch. "What do you expect me to say?" she stammered.  
  
"Try 'Hello, Titania. How are you?'", Anya suggested. "I know what you're sensing from her, but it's OK. Titania doesn't want to hurt anybody."  
  
Titania stammered. "Lina Inverse, the demon slayer? Then perhaps you could do me a favor and –"  
  
Anya put her hand over Titania's mouth. "Don't take Titania too seriously, Mom. She doesn't know how to deal with the situation she's in. That's why she needs our help."  
  
Titania began to muffle, and her face began to turn blue.  
  
"Oops," said Anya, releasing her grip so that Titania could breathe. "As for what you were about to say, don't say it. I never want to hear you talk about that subject again."  
  
"What subject?" Gourry asked. "What does she want Lina to do?"  
  
"You don't want to know." Anya replied. "Hell, -I- don't want to know."  
  
Lina frowned. "I already know. And part of me wants to do it. That presence filling the room in the presence of a Mazoku – and it's coming from her."  
  
"What's a Mazoku?" Titania asked.  
  
"The Demon Race. Beings who have sworn to return the world to a Sea of Chaos, and extinguish the spirit of everything that lives."  
  
"But my mother is human!" said Titania. "I can't be a demon!"  
  
Lina's eyes narrowed. "Who was your father?"  
  
Titania looked at Anya concernedly. "Go ahead and tell her," Anya said, "we need to know everything we can if we're going to be of any help to you."  
  
Titania looked Lina squarely in the eye. "I don't know who my father was. My mother was a shrine-maiden in the temple of Cepheid. A wandering priest with purple hair and a bemused expression cam to her shrine one day and before she knew it he had seduced her. When she found out she was pregnant, he laughed at her and left town, never to be seen again."  
  
"Until today." Lina finished. "The description of your father reminds me a lot of a certain acquaintance of mine named Xellos. And he's a high-ranking Mazoku in the service of Beastmaster Xellas. I met him outside the inn just today. Normally Mazoku reproduce just by creating lesser Mazoku out of formless chaos. So I don't know how it happened, but I'm afraid that you, young lady, are the daughter of a Mazoku."  
  
Titania backed away. "No! No, it's not possible! I can't be a Mazoku! I don't want to do evil! I don't want to return the world to Chaos!"  
  
Anya put her hand on Titania's shoulder. "I know you don't, Titania. You don't have an evil heart."  
  
"But I might turn to evil! I might turn out to be just like my father! You have to destroy me! It's my only hope!"  
  
Lina shook her head. "Can't do it. And shouldn't do it. You see, your human body and human heart are the only things holding your Mazoku powers in check. Destroy those and the Mazoku in you would be unleashed, spreading untold destruction."  
  
Titania looked at Lina in shock. "You mean if I die, people will get hurt?"  
  
"If you die, thousands of innocent people could also die. There's enough raw power in you to obliterate this entire town, if not the whole barony."  
  
Anya looked at Titania with enormous sympathy. She knew what it was like to have the raw power of black magic coursing through her body, but she could barely imagine what this girl must be going through. Just then a thought struck her. "Mom! You said Xellos was here?"  
  
"Yes, he was." Lina answered. "We had a bit of a conversation outside as we arrived."  
  
Anya stood up. "Then we have to get moving! Titania isn't safe here! If you're right, Xellos will try to destroy her human body and release the Mazoku! We're not going to let that happen! We can't!"  
  
Lina and Gourry looked at each other. Then they looked at the trembling Titania, and then finally at their daughter. Lina could see righteous fury in Anya's eyes. She would have to do something about that, she decided.  
  
Titania looked at Lina pleadingly. "Just how much power do I have?"  
  
"From what I can sense, you could, if your power is left unchecked, destroy the world all by yourself."  
  
"The whole world? Everything that exists? Everything that lives?"  
  
"I'm afraid so, and what's more your power is like a beacon, attracting other Mazoku."  
  
Anya stood up. "Then her only chance is to come with us! We're the only ones who have a chance of protecting her! And it's the end of the world if we don't!"  
  
Lina thought for a moment. "I don't like working for free. What can you pay me?"  
  
"All my saved wages. But then I'll have nothing to live on."  
  
Lina looked at her. Then an idea popped into her head. "Can you cook?"  
  
"I've been apprenticed to the innkeeper here for four years. He's taught me cooking, but I don't see how...."  
  
"Fine. You can come with us if you can teach Anya to cook as well as any restaurant chef."  
  
Titania shrugged. "If that's what you want. I'll have to let the innkeeper know. I don't know if he'll be willing to lose me..."  
  
At that moment Lina felt a chill down her spine as she noticed an aura in the common room strong enough for her to feel it from there. Anya felt it too.  
  
"Something's happened downstairs...." Anya said.  
  
"We don't have much time!" Lina said.  
  
****  
  
The four raced downstairs to see a man in priestly robes, with hair of Titania's purple hue, standing in the center of the room. Behind the bar, the innkeeper was slumped over the tap.  
  
"Master!" screamed Titania. She rushed over to his side, along with Anya. Anya grabbed the man's wrist, looked at Titania, and shook her head.  
  
"Xellos!" said Lina. "This wasn't necessary!"  
  
Xellos smiled at her. "What's wrong with going to an inn for a little snack? Besides, you should be happy – now you won't have to pay for your rooms."  
  
"Master!" Titania screamed again, and then looked at Xellos. "You! What have you done to him?"  
  
Xellos turned his head to see Titania. "You've grown up nice and pretty, Titania. Someone with your heritage is wasted as a waitress. Do you want to see what you can really do?"  
  
Titania's eyes burned with fury. "You... you... MURDERER!"  
  
Xellos smiled. "Yes! Anger! Rage! Grief! Your emotions are such a treat, Titania! Now focus them into power! Strike me down if you can!"  
  
Anya grabbed Titania's arm. "No, Titania! Don't do it! He's trying to goad you into releasing your power! Attack him and you'll be giving him what he wants!"  
  
Xellos sent a bolt of shimmering black energy between Titania and Anya, blasting them apart. "Didn't anyone ever tell you children should be seen and not heard?" he then turned to Lina and Gourry. "I'll let the three of you leave now. I have no grudge against the Inverse family. You can leave and I won't go after you. But Titania is mine."  
  
Lina's eyes narrowed. "I don't think so."  
  
"I can give Titania what she really deserves; power and pleasure beyond the wildest dreams of any waitress. Together we can conquer the world as father and daughter."  
  
Anya looked over to Titania and saw something that chilled her to the bone. Her body was being surrounded by dark energy, her eyes glowed a flaming red with power and rage! "Titania! No! You don't have to do this!"  
  
Xellos noticed and turned to the girl. "Yes! Feel your power! Embrace it like a lover! See how wonderful the hatred feels burning inside you!"  
  
"Titania!" cried Anya. "Think of the good times! Think of your mother! She loves you! Your master loved you! Think of me, Titania! I'm your friend! This man – this creature – has no rights over you! He has no control over you! You don't have to do what he says! Titania! Listen to me! YOU ARE A HUMAN BEING!"  
  
The black energy dissipated around Titania and she collapsed in Anya's arms. "I'm sorry...." Said Titania. "I was too weak – too angry – too hurt."  
  
"I forgive you." said Anya. "Welcome back to the real world." Anya then leapt over the bad and drew her sword. Gourry followed suit and drew the Blast Blade, and Lina began to prepare a spell. "All right, Mom and Dad! Let's show this guy what we think of people who abuse girls!"  
  
Gourry frowned. "That's right. We don't like them very much, do we Lina dear?"  
  
"We certainly don't," Lina replied. "There's nothing worse than an abusive father! I never took you for that kind of Mazoku, Xellos."  
  
Xellos began to back off. "You'd really strike you old friend, Xellos?"  
  
"You were never my friend," said Lina, "You were going to betray me first chance you got and we both knew it. Now, if you don't want to taste my magic, you'll leave that girl alone. She is under my daughter's protection."  
  
"All I want," said Xellos, "is a reunion between father and daughter. You can't deny me that."  
  
Anya stepped closer, brandishing her sword menacingly. "You don't know what it's like to be a father! A father loves his child! He cares for her and protects and nurtures her! He teaches her to care and create, not to hate and destroy! How can a monster like you know anything about being a father? I don't know if this sword can hurt you. I don't know if I have any spells that can hurt you. But if you don't leave right now, I'm going to try and find out!"  
  
Xellos turned to Anya. "Well, aren't you the little spitfire? I can see the family resemblance on both sides. But can you really live up to your heritage? You're not your mother, Anya. No matter how hard you try, you'll never be Lina Inverse."  
  
"I don't have to be Lina Inverse. I just have to be good enough to beat you."  
  
Xellos smiled. Anya didn't like that smile at all. "I will have Titania, if not today that someday. If we continue this discussion I'll be forced to kill you, and I don't want to do that. A truce then. Today I'll leave. But next time we meet, I will take my daughter – over your dead bodies if I have to." With that Xellos vanished.  
  
"Coward!" screamed Anya. Gourry sheathed his sword, and Lina backed down and took Anya by the shoulder.  
  
"It's all right, Anya. We saved Titania for today. That's enough. Xellos is more powerful than you realize, but you're strong too."  
  
"Is he right? I'll never be you, Mom."  
  
"You don't have to be. You're Anya Inverse. You're a sorceress and a warrior, a beloved daughter and a good friend. You are your own person, and that's the best anyone can hope to be."  
  
Titania walked out from behind the bar. "Thank you, Anya, for stopping me." She said. "Who knows what I would have done?"  
  
Lina looked at her. "You wouldn't have gotten Xellos. He'd just teleport away from your attack."  
  
Anya hugged Titania. "It's all right, Titania. You stood up to him. You're a very brave girl, Titania. I'm proud that you're my friend."  
  
Titania pulled herself away ever so slightly. "Friend? I've never had a real friend. With all the horrible things that happen around me, I felt I didn't deserve one"  
  
"Well, you've got a friend now whether you like it or not, and don't you dare try to shake me, because it's not possible."  
  
Lina shook her head. "We'd better hitch up the wagon and get on the road, then. Xellos is always going to know where you are, and if we leave you here alone he'll have you for sure."  
  
Gourry asked. "Where are we going?"  
  
"I was thinking Seyruun. If we can get Queen Amelia's help, Titania will have better luck containing her power. Who knows, they may even be able to seal it away completely. And Xellos won't dare show himself there."  
  
"All right then," said Anya, "let's buy some provisions and head out. We're going to have to keep moving and try and stay one step ahead of Xellos."  
  
"I'll say goodbye to my mother then." Said Titania. "Can you come with me, Anya?"  
  
"Sure. Your mother must be a formidable person."  
  
****  
  
Back on Wolfpack Island, Xellos stood before his mistress.  
  
"Is the experiment a failure, then? I see the girl is not with you." asked Beastmaster Xellas, her cigarette glowing and emitting a small stream of smoke.  
  
"On the contrary, it was wildly successful. It seems that when the soul of a human in born with the power of a Mazoku, then the power of the being is beyond our wildest imagination. We came very close to achieving our goal today. Titania came within a hair's breadth of releasing enough energy to return the entire world to Chaos, and all because I did a little goading."  
  
"I see. But you did not kill Lina Inverse. Why not?"  
  
"It will be all the more pleasurable when the time does come. And I got to meet her daughter. A real firebrand, that one. She is going to be ever so much fun to play with!"  
  
"Until you crush her like an insect?"  
  
"Of course. I'll just let her think she actually has a chance and then, when the time is right, I shall feast on the agony of her defeat."  
  
Beastmaster smiled wickedly. "Then I leave it to you. It should be entertaining to watch you play with your new toy. We were never able to make her powerful mother come over to our side. Do you think you have a chance with her?"  
  
"Make Anya take the pledge? An interesting idea, My Mistress. She would be a truly formidable servant for us, and she's certainly capable of being tempted."  
  
A handsome man suddenly materialized beside Xellos. Xellos looked at his with surprise, but then smiled. "I see. Go for the hormonal reaction?"  
  
"Exactly." Said Xellas. "Gorian, are you ready for a new assignment?"  
  
The handsome young man bowed deeply. "Always, My Mistress. I live to serve you."  
  
"I created you, so you should. You assignment is to bring Anya Inverse into our little pack. You may use whatever means you see fit."  
  
Gorian smiled. "Any means?"  
  
"ANY means. Exploit every weakness she has until she sees she has to join us."  
  
Gorian's smile became a grin. "As you wish, Mistress Beastmaster. The girl is as good as yours."  
  
Xellos smiled. "Then you may do as you like to the daughter. But Titania and Lina Inverse are MINE."  
  
"I would not dispute with the General-Priest. Consider it done, Mistress." Gorian then vanished.  
  
"Do you really think he stands a chance?" Xellos asked.  
  
"Gorian is my best temptation artist. He'll do it."  
  
"Perhaps. But if he fails, Beastmaster, the girl is mine too."  
  
TO BE CONTINUED.... 


	3. Dragons are Cute?

SLAYERS INHERITANCE "Dragons are Cute? The Return of Valgaav!" by Michael Hopcroft  
  
"Hello again, Anya Inverse here! My mother; is the world's most powerful sorceress, and my father its greatest swordsman. I like to think I'm not bad myself. Anyway, my family and I met this girl in an inn who turns out to be the daughter of a powerful Mazoku. But she's not a bad person, really. Anyway, now we're the Mazoku's target and we're going to have to keep moving if we're going to stay one step ahead of him. Still, we can do this! I think...."  
  
In the back of the wagon, Titania had laid out ingredients. "Now here's the secret – chop up the dill pickles really, really fine. That way their flavor isn't concentrated, but spreads throughout the whole salad."  
  
"Like this?" Anya took her knife and began to cut the pickle in front of her into nearly-microscopic chunks.  
  
"Good. Now stir it in with the tuna and mayonnaise. And don't forget the dill and basil." Anya did as she was told.  
  
"Let me taste it now." Titania reached her finger in, took a dainty little portion and put it to her lips. "Splendid! This is a great tuna salad!"  
  
"Thanks," said Anya, "Now what do I to with it?"  
  
"Cut some bread and spread it on it, and then tell your parents lunch is served."  
  
Anya and Titania cut apart four loaves of bread and spread the tuna salad across the inner faces of half of them. "Wait!" Titania said. "Now slice some cheese, play it over the tuna salad, and put the other halves of the loaves of bread on top of them." Anya did so. "There!" she said. "Four foot- and-a-half-long tuna salad sandwiches with fine Derlis cheddar are ready to be served."  
  
***  
  
A few minutes later the wagon had been stopped near a clearing, a blanket laid out, and the Inverse/Gabriev family and Titania was enjoying the sandwiches. "This is really good, Titania!' said Lina. "You two made these together?"  
  
"Yep!" said Anya. "Though Titania did most of it."  
  
"Did not!" said Titania. "I only directed. You did the work."  
  
Gourry smiled between bites of his sandwich. "You two make a good team. I haven't had a tuna sandwich this good in years."  
  
Titania gave a wan smile. "Just wait until I get her into a real kitchen. One of the first things Master taught me was a really good dish with long noodles in a cream and cheese sauce. Easy to make, really delicious, and one of the hottest things at the inn." A tear formed in Titania's eye. Gourry noticed it, and so did Anya.  
  
"You really miss him, don't you?" Anya asked.  
  
"Master was more than a Master to me. When my mother was expelled from her shrine for getting pregnant, he took her in and helped her out, set her up in a house, and gave me work as soon as I was old enough. He was a really good man – better by far than that accursed Mazoku who says he's my father."  
  
"It's OK for you to mourn," Said Anya, "because he was good man and didn't deserve what happened to him. But I'm sure that if he were beside you he'd want you to go on without him."  
  
Titania gave her a wan smile. "Thank you."  
  
At that moment a huge, dark shape zoomed overhead. The four clutched their sandwiches as the wind from its passage hit them.  
  
"A dragon?" asked Anya.  
  
Lina nodded. "We are in those parts. But it doesn't look like any type I've ever seen before."  
  
The shape came back and settled in front of them. To Anya's surprise, its skin was not dark but pure white. It looked over the party and then its shape began to change in a swirling wind. Soon a young man with white hair stood before them. His features were sharp but handsome, his eyes dark and brooding.  
  
"Wow!" said Anya. "You are a hunk!" But then she noticed that Gourry had his hand on the hilt of the Blast Blade. "What's wrong? Daddy?"  
  
"I know this guy. He almost destroyed the world 25 years ago."  
  
"Easy there," the man said, "I have no intention of harming anyone, especially friends of the family."  
  
Lina smiled. "Then you are Valgaav?"  
  
"Huh?" asked Gourry.  
  
"When Dark Star was destroyed, Vagaav's egg floated down to the ground into the arms of Filia. She decided she was going to foster him. You mist be the dragon who came out of the egg."  
  
"That's right." He said. "Filia is my foster-mother, and she decided to let me keep the name Valgaav, but I assure you there's not a trace of Mazoku in my bloodline."  
  
"But you're a dragon?" Anya asked.  
  
"Ancient Dragon, last of my kind I'm told. My foster-mother heard you might be passing through, and thought she might invite you to stay with us for a while."  
  
"We're kind of busy right now," Lina answered, 'and we're also a bit of a target. We've got a powerful Mazoku on our tail."  
  
"Sounds like we can help then. I can carry your wagon. I can even secure your horses so they won't fall off."  
  
Gourry frowned. "Just don't eat them."  
  
"My foster-mother runs a bed-and-breakfast now. I know better than to serve the customers horsemeat."  
  
***  
  
After a few hours in the air, Valgaav set the wagon down in front of a neat, but large building in the middle of a pasture by a roadside. He then alit beside the wagon and resumed human form. "There it is – the Mace and Teapot, serving travelers for ten years now."  
  
Anya felt a little woozy climbing out of the wagon; Valgaav saw this and helped her regain her feet. "Are you all right, young lady? Wouldn't want you to fall down."  
  
"Thank you, I'm fine." Anya said. She then looked up at Valgaav and saw just how handsome he really was, and her knees became weak again. Valgaav looked a little concerned. "No, really, I'm alright. Are you sure you're a dragon?"  
  
A voice from the porch called out "Valgaav! Why don't you bring our guests over here?" Lina stepped out and saw the familiar figure standing in the doorway of the house.  
  
"Filia! Long time no see! Anya, this is our old traveling companion Filia ul Copt. We toured the Outer World together before you were born."  
  
"This is your daughter?" Filia asked. Then suddenly Filia began to bristle and Anya could see a golden tail with a pink ribbon tied around it poke out of her dress. "I sense a Mazoku!" Filia said.  
  
"That's just Titania. She's a half-Mazoku, and sort of why we're on the run."  
  
"Are you sure she's not one of those filthy...."  
  
Anya saw Titania was backing away from Filia and Valgaav with an expression approaching terror. "You're frightening her!" Anya said. "Titania doesn't want to be a Mazoku. That's why we're taking her to Seyruun, so we can find a way to seal off her powers."  
  
Filia calmed down. "I see. Well, in that case, I have no reason not to welcome my old friends. I apologize for frightening you, Titania. It's an old prejudice I've tried to work hard to overcome."  
  
"It's alright," Titania replied. "I've never met dragons before."  
  
"Titania didn't used to get out much." Anya explained.  
  
***  
  
A few minutes later everyone was in the common room, and Filia was treating everyone to tea.  
  
"Interesting blend," Titania said. "Quite tasty. Did you blend it yourself?"  
  
Filia smiled. "Yes, I did. I've been blending my own teas for years, both for flavor and for medicinal purposes. I have a blend that will cure a sour stomach in both humans and dragon, a blend that'll bring down a fever, all sorts of things. You know tea?"  
  
"I was apprentice to an innkeeper. I learned all about all kinds of food and drink. I'm told I make a mean Whiskey Sour, but I wouldn't know. Too young to drink."  
  
Filia smiled. "I don't drink either. Oh, that reminds me. Time to tend the egg."  
  
"Egg?" Anya asked.  
  
Filia got up and walked over to a table where a large gold egg sat in a gold cup. "Valgaav, there's a fresh, warm blanket in the kitchen. Can you get it for me?"  
  
"No problem." Said Valgaav. He departed into the kitchen, and came back with a blanket. Filia took the blanket that had been wrapping the egg off and replaced it with the fresh one. "There. That should keep it nice and warm for another six hours."  
  
Lina looked at the egg. "This one yours?" she asked.  
  
Filia blushed. "Yep. Laid it five months ago. In about seven more months it'll hatch."  
  
"Who's the father?"  
  
"You may know him. Milgasia of Dragon Peak, back in your neck of the woods."  
  
Lina grinned. "Why, that sly old dog, how long have you been together?"  
  
"He came by right before Valgaav hatched. He offered to help me raise him to be a proper Dragon and, well, one thing led to another. We fell in love."  
  
Gourry blurted out, "Congratulations. Where is he now?"  
  
"He divides his time between Dragon Peak and here. We haven't decided whether he should move in here permanently once this baby hatches." Filia said, blushing slightly.  
  
"I wonder if he can help us," Lina said. "We have an old friend of yours on our tail. Someone who used to always get your goat."  
  
Filia finished wrapping the egg and turned to Lina. "You mean Xellos? What does he want with you now?"  
  
"It's Titania he wants. And if he gets her, there's going to literally be Hell to pay."  
  
"Milgasia's coming over tonight to check on Valgaav and the egg." Filia said. "I've always wanted to get back at Xellos for everything he did to me in the old days. In the meanwhile enjoy yourselves here. We have a good library here and a nice card room if you want to play cards. No gambling, of course."  
  
***  
  
Soon afterwards, Anya found herself walking in the woods. The trees were unfamiliar, but she liked them.  
  
"Lovely trees, aren't they?" said a voice behind her. Anya turned around to see Valgaav standing behind her. "Mother chose this location for her inn because the countryside was so beautiful. Of course, the trees aren't the only pretty things around here."  
  
Anya blushed. "Thanks, I think. But shouldn't you be chasing some dragon girl?"  
  
"Who says I'm chasing anybody? I just said you were pretty. There are a lot of pretty human girls in these parts, and I don't chase them. So why should I be chashing you?"  
  
Anya's blush turned into a crimson of anger. "Why you – I ought to...." Under her breath she began to utter an incantation.  
  
"Hey, no fire spells! If you start a fire, mother will be furious!"  
  
"You should know better than to get an Inverse mad! FREEZE ARROW!" A spear of ice shot out of Anya's hands. Valgaav dodged it effortlessly, and it hit a tree which was immediately encased I ice. Valgaav flew a few feet above the air until he was standing right in front of Anya. "Why you! What I'll do to you...." Anya said.  
  
"No more magic, OK? Don't want to damage the forest. Why, I bet you've never even had a boy chasing you."  
  
"I don't WANT a boy to chase me! I'm fine on my own!"  
  
"Really?" Valgaav looked straight in her eyes, and Anya suddenly felt weak in the knees. "My mother told me about someone who was just as self- sufficient as you. Someone who felt she didn't need anyone, who was annoyed when anyone acted like they were paying attention to her. Someone who used to react to anyone who even looked at her with extreme violence."  
  
"Is that so? Did she tell you that girl's name?"  
  
"Of course she did. Do you want to know it?" he said teasingly.  
  
"Not really."  
  
"Well, I'll tell you anyway. The girl's name was ... Lina Inverse."  
  
Anya looked at him with shock. "Mom? That's not possible! You're just teasing me!"  
  
"I swear it's true. I swear on the graves of the Ancient Dragons."  
  
"Get out of here!"  
  
Valgaav put a finger to her lips. "hush." He said in a quiet tone. "I sense something approaching."  
  
Anya calmed down long enough to concentrate and felt its approach too. "Mazoku." She said. "Are you sure it's not Titania?"  
  
"Positive. My mother taught me all about Mazoku. Each one has a distinct magical signature. When you get more experience with them you'll recognize it too. We'll go get our parents."  
  
"It'll be on us before we get out of these woods," said Anya.  
  
"Ever fought a Mazoku before?" Valgaav asked.  
  
"Have you?"  
  
Suddenly Valgaav's hair stood on end. "MOVE!" he cried, leaping away from Anya as a flight of arrows flew between them, embedding themselves in the tree behind where Valgaav had been standing.  
  
Anya and Valgaav looked in the direction from which the arrows came from. "I don't see anything," Anya said, "but that doesn't mean nothing's there."  
  
"Look for a fringe," said Valgaav. "Anything that looks out of focus. That's where it'll be."  
  
Anya scanned the scene, concentrating until she noticed that one of the trees looked a little blurry. "Gotcha!" she said, and began an incantation.  
  
"What are you doing?" Valgaav said. "You aren't thinking of...."  
  
Anya nodded at him but continued the incantation. Finally she pointed at the tree. "RAH TILT!" she cried. Energy flared from her hands, and almost struck the tree, stopping right in front of it. A creature appeared, a monster with horns on its head and arrowheads on its fingers, and then collapsed. Anya ran over to the body.  
  
Valgaav walked up to her and shook his head. "I think it's safe to say you got him."  
  
"He almost got us. You made me careless!"  
  
Valgaav looked at her. "-I- made you careless?"  
  
"If you hadn't distracted me...."  
  
"So you admit I distracted you?"  
  
"No, I don't! Who'd be distracted by a thoughtless, arrogant, brat like you?"  
  
"I am not arrogant! And if I hadn't warned you to move, that thing would've made short work of both of us!"  
  
Anya started to laugh, first a soft chuckle than out loud.  
  
Valgaav stared at her. "What's so funny?"  
  
"Do you know who we sound like? We sound just like my Mom and Dad when they fight!"  
  
"We do not!"  
  
"Come on, Valgaav! Don't you see how funny we sound?" And then Anya started laughing again, loud enough to fill all the woods.  
  
Valgaav sighed. "I'll never hear the end of this from Mother...."  
  
***  
  
From the chair of his lair on Wolfpack Island, Xellos watched the scene with amusement. "How interesting. So Lina's little girl has discovered the difference between boys and girls. And Valgaav bears watching too. He could be a real fly in the ointment. Gorian had better hurry up or he'll lose out."  
  
A female-looking Mazoku in human form walked up behind Xellos and smiled. "What are you watching?" she asked.  
  
"Ah, Kuria, I may have a job for you."  
  
"The boy?"  
  
"Exactly. If we can find a way to dispose of him, then the girl will be more vulnerable to Gorian's efforts."  
  
"He looks delicious. This sounds like a fun assignment, General Xellos. If you like, I can dispose of him by nightfall."  
  
"You do that. And make sure you do it in such a way that the girl can't interfere."  
  
"I'll think of something."  
  
"That's my Kuria."  
  
"Why are you so interested in this girl, anyway?" Kuria asked.  
  
"She stands between me and something I want very badly. And nobody stands between me and what I want – not for long, anyway...." Xellos began to chuckle. "Just you wait, Titania. You'll be mine in the end, no matter how hard your friend fights for you."  
  
TO BE CONTINUED..... 


	4. The GreenEyed Monster!

SLAYERS INHERITANCE "A Green-Eyed Monster! Is This What Being a Girl Is Like?" by Michael Hopcroft  
  
"Anya Inverse here! My family and I are trying to help a girl escape from her Mazoku father, but you knew that already. Anyway, now we've met this family of dragons out in the country; old friends of the family. I went off into the woods to be alone, but the young men of the house sort of followed me and, well, let's just say things got complicated. Not that we actually did anything, but if that Mazoku hadn't interrupted us – What am I saying? The boy's a brat, a scoundrel, and a.... I couldn't possibly be attracted to him! Never! Not in a million years! Do we really have to talk about this right now?"  
  
"We're lost." Anya said as she made her way through the woods, Valgaav trailing behind her.  
  
'We are not lost." He said, with something approaching a smirk. "We just got a little disoriented while we were fighting that Mazoku. Must be a residual effect of its magic."  
  
"In other words, we're lost. If we're not back soon, what will our parents think?" Anya had a sudden inspiration. "No! They couldn't possibly think – Valgaav! You're doing this deliberately just to get me in trouble!"  
  
"Our parents won't think anything except we got lost in the woods. Besides, I'd be in even more trouble than you would. MY mother is a former shrine maiden. Your mother probably wouldn't even mind if you had a little fling, but when Filia thinks I'm involved with a girl I never hear the end of it."  
  
"Then this has happened before?"  
  
"Only once. I learned my lesson."  
  
"Evidently not well enough or you wouldn't be getting girls lost in the woods."  
  
Suddenly a horn could be heard in the distance. "Anya, is that somebody looking for us?" Valgaav asked.  
  
"This is your neck of the woods, not mine."  
  
A man and a woman appeared behind a clump of trees. They were in green hunting gear, and carried longbows slung around their backs. Anya immediately noticed that both of them were incredibly handsome and gorgeous, respectively. "Ahoy, travelers!" the man said. "You look lost!"  
  
The woman smirked at him. "Obviously, these young people only want us to THINK they're lost...."  
  
Anya bristled. "Don't joke around like that! And who are you anyway?"  
  
"My name is Gorvald," said the man, "and this is Kressida. We're rangers, as if you couldn't tell by our garb."  
  
Valgaav's eye's narrowed. "Rangers, eh? Didn't know there were any about in these parts."  
  
Kressida smiled guiltily. "We try to keep a low profile. You must be Valgaav from the inn, right? I've seen you around these woods before – who was that girl you were with then?"  
  
Anya stamped her foot. "That does it! I'm going back to the inn by myself! You can take all the grief from your mother you want!"  
  
"Are you sure you know the way?" Gorvald said.  
  
"I'll find it. I'll see you back at the inn, you brat!" Anya stalked off, visibly upset.  
  
Gorvald shrugged his shoulders. "I'd better go after her. She won't know her way at all."  
  
Kressida nodded. "Fine, I'll take care of the boy."  
  
Valgaav stammered. "No, that's okay. I can get Anya home. No problem."  
  
"I think it'd be better if you two didn't come home together," said Kressida, following it up with a sexy wink.  
  
Valgaav was stunned. God, he thought, this woman was gorgeous. But Anya needed him....  
  
"The girl will be fine." Kressida said. "Let's get you home."  
  
***  
  
"Stupid dragon! Stupid rangers! Stupid bloody woods! I ought to clear my way with some fireballs!" Anya was in the midst of a full-blooded tempter tantrum.  
  
A booming voice behind her said "That's not the way back to the Mace and Teapot." Anya turned her head and saw that Gorvald was following her. The first thought that crossed her mind was that this was a real hunk; even more muscular than her father and with a finely-chiseled face and a very, very strong chin. His shaved head completed the appearance. "Clearly you don't know these woods."  
  
Anya thought for a moment. "Wait a moment – how did you know I was staying at the Mace and Teapot?"  
  
Gorvald thought for a moment. "Valgaav told me? That doesn't matter. The mace and teapot is the best inn in these parts, and it seems natural that's where you'd stay."  
  
"Is that so? Well, we'll see if that's true when we're all back together at the inn."  
  
Gorvald grinned. "Then you'll accept my help?"  
  
Anya shrugged. "Why not? Can't be any worse than being led around the nose by that stupid dragon."  
  
Gorvald walked over to her and took out a strange device that looked almost but not quite like a compass. "This way." He said. "If you follow me we'll get back to the inn in half an hour."  
  
Anya stopped for a moment. "Wait a minute. I changed my mind. The four of us should really go together."  
  
"Kressida will get him home, no problem."  
  
The two walked through the woods for a few minutes. "So," Anya asked, "You and Kressida – you a couple?"  
  
"We're partners, if that's what you mean. You could say we're working towards a common goal. What about you and the dragon, as you call him?"  
  
"We just met." *But that didn't stop him from coming on to you back there*, Anya thought. *Honestly, what was he thinking?*  
  
"Then he's a fast worker. Here in the woods, people are pretty free with their emotions. They tend to let their hair down and relax a bit. They say there's some sort of aura to the place."  
  
"Come to think of it," Anya said, "I'm sensing some sort of aura right now. It's strange and unfamiliar, yet...."  
  
"Welcoming?" Gorvald asked. "The woods are like that. Some couples who go into the woods choose never to leave. Whole families have sprouted up in these forests."  
  
"Then we'd better get the loving hell out of here. I have a job to do."  
  
*So do I*, thought Gorvald, *so do I.....*  
  
***  
  
Kressida smiled the smile of a predator that had caught some especially luscious prey. "Say, you look like a nice, strong young man." She said to Valgaav. "What say before we go back to your inn we have a little fun?"  
  
"My mother would skin me alive if you're suggesting what I think you're suggesting." Said Valgaav.  
  
Kressida licked her lips. "She'll never have to know. Just a little tumble? The girl will be grateful for it if you know what you're doing when you finally get her." Kressida began to undo her top.  
  
Valgaav shouted "Absolutely not! I was raised with better morals than that! So don't take that off!"  
  
"You don't understand, my boy, you don't have a choice. You'll never find the girl again, and you'll never get out without me. The price of my help is your virtue."  
  
Valgaav snorted. "Then you've just priced yourself out of the market, lady. All I need to do is find a forty-foot clearing – ANY forty-foot clearing – and I'm out of here. And if I can't find a clearing I'll make one."  
  
"Then we'll have to this the hard way," Kressida, said, leaping at Valgaav before he could react. She landed on top of him and pinned him to the ground.  
  
"That's not possible!' Valgaav said.  
  
"Believe it, Gorgeous."  
  
"Nobody's that fast, unless – MAZOKU!"  
  
"You know what they say, boy – when attacked, just lie back and enjoy it!" Kressida's clothes began to melt into her skin, which changed color to bright red. "Your girlfriend can't help you now, boy! Enjoy your final moments on this Earth!"  
  
Valgaav managed to free a hand. "I think you'll find I have a few surprises myself, devil lady." He reached up his hand to touch Kressida's hair, and pull her head closer to his own.  
  
"Oh? You've decided to give in?"  
  
Valgaav silently opened his mouth. Kressida smiled wickedly – then blanched as she saw the light forming in the back of his throat. An instant later a beam of shining, white light pierced through her head and into the sky above. Valgaav hurled the inert body off of him and stood.  
  
*I'd better get out of here,* he thought. *That won't stop her for long, and if she's a Mazoku then so is Gorvald. Meaning Anya's in danger!* with his breath weapon, Valgaav cleared enough space for him to turn into a dragon. Then he hurled himself into the air to look for Anya.  
  
***  
  
Anya was surprised to see her mother running through the woods to meet them. "Anya!" she said. "Are you all right?"  
  
"I'm fine. I just got lost in the woods. This ranger helped me out."  
  
Filia ran up behind Lina. "Where's Valgaav? I saw his light deep in the woods!"  
  
Anya stomped her foot. "I don't know or care! Why don't you guys look up in the sky? Maybe he'll fly home."  
  
"Anya," Lina said inquiringly, "Did you two quarrel?"  
  
"That's really none of anyone's business, Mom."  
  
"ANYA! Don't you remember we're on the run from the Mazoku? We need all the allies we can get! We can't afford to antagonize Valgaav! And what did you do in there anyway?"  
  
"Nothing! Nothing happened! Honest! Why don't you believe me, Mother?"  
  
"Because you're sixteen, that's why! You're not in full control of yourself."  
  
Filia turned her attention to Gorvald. "Thank you for helping this girl,' she said, "but what about my son? Is he all right?"  
  
"He'll be fine." Gorvald chuckled. "With Kressida's help, he's certain to find his way."  
  
Anya's eyes narrowed. "Kressida? I can't believe I left him alone with Kressida!"  
  
"Kressida is a skilled woods woman. He'll be fine. We're only about half a mile from your inn. Well, I guess I'll be on my way..." Gorvald turned to leave.  
  
"No, stay." Filia said. "At least have dinner with us. It's the least I could do."  
  
Gorvald smiled. "Sure, why not? I'm sure it'll be a change from trail fare."  
  
*** Valgaav scanned the scene from the air. He wished he could speak Common in his dragon form. He swooped down and landed in front of the inn, changing back to human before the rest of the group could arrive. He only had to wait, and then he could confront Gorvald.  
  
Very soon, the four people came over the horizon. "Man, am I glad to see the inn! I can't wait to taste the dinner Titania's prepared for us!" Lina said.  
  
Anya stopped. "Valgaav! How did you get back so quick? Did that ranger woman "help" you?"  
  
"I got out on my own, thanks very much. And you! Gorvald! You go away now or face my ---"  
  
"VALGAAV!" cried Filia. "Not one more word! You are in SO MUCH TROUBLE, YOUNG MAN! How many times do I have to pull you out of messes like this?"  
  
"Mother, you don't understand! That man isn't what he looks like!"  
  
"I DON'T WANT TO HEAR ONE MORE WORD OUT OF YOU FOR THE REST OF THE NIGHT!" cried Filia. "And if you approach our guest that way one more time, I'll throw you out of my house! I didn't raise my foster-son to be a letch! Now get inside and go to your room! You're not getting ANY SUPPER!"  
  
Anya tapped Filia on the shoulder. "Isn't that a bit much, ma'am? Nothing really happened between us, you know."  
  
Lina grabbed Anya by the arm and pulled her into the inn. "And YOU, young lady, YOU have a LOT of explaining to do!"  
  
Gorvald waited while everyone else went back into the inn ion various states of emotional disarray. He concentrated for a moment. A moment later Kressida, back in her human form, was beside him.  
  
"The general is going to scold you, Kuria." He said softly. "You were supposed to kill him by nightfall, isn't that what you promised Xellos?"  
  
"He caught me off guard, Gorian, that's all. It won't happen again. But look how well it's working out. Just a few hours ago they were a cohesive team, now they're at each other's throats. This will make your job all the easier."  
  
"I suggest you drop the Kressida disguise and take another form. That way the dragon won't suspect you when you suddenly reappear at the doorstep."  
  
"Then I'm still on this job?"  
  
Gorian smiled. "Of course. Can't send you back to Xellos a failure, now can I?"  
  
"Compassion is not a Mazoku trait, you know."  
  
"I know, but you're extremely useful. Remain useful and you have a bright future in the business. Lose your utility and you're dead. That's the way of the Mazoku."  
  
Kuria laughed. "Their discord will be a feast! And I just can't wait to hear their dying screams!"  
  
TO BE CONTINUED....... 


	5. A Hidden Menace!

SLAYERS INHERITANCE "The Hidden Menace! Parents Just Don't Get it!" by Michael Hopcroft  
  
"Anya Inverse here! If I don't look too happy right now, it's because that flirt Valgaav got me lost in the woods. What a jerk! Anyway, this big, strong ranger led me back to the inn where my family is staying and now he's going to be having dinner with us. Valgaav hated that idea, of course, and his foster-mother Filia is very angry with him. Serves the jerk right! But nothing really happened in the woods – besides the getting lost bit – and MY mother is furious with me too. What did I do to deserve this?"  
  
Lina had sat Anya down at a chair in her room and was looking her over from top to bottom. Gourry was sitting one chair over, looking strangely bemused. Anya meanwhile was fuming. Why was Mom angry with HER when it was VALGAAV who'd been such a jerk?  
  
"Now tell me exactly what happened in the woods!" Lina said.  
  
"Nothing happened. I went into the woods, Valgaav followed me, we fought a Mazoku, we got lost, these Rangers found us, we got split up, and that's all that happened. Honest."  
  
Lina began to mutter an incantation. At the end of it, Anya noticed a brief blue glow around her body that faded after just a moment. "What the hell was that?" Anya asked. What kind of spell did you cast on me?"  
  
"Well, it's not that important. I just wanted to make sure you were OK."  
  
Anya was ready to scream. "It was a virginity test, wasn't it? Mom! How could you even think such a thing?"  
  
Lina stammered for a moment, suddenly extremely embarrassed. "Well, I just wanted to be sure that....."  
  
"Well, now that you know I'm still pure as the driven snow, will you quit it with the third degree? Really, Mother! How presumptive of you!"  
  
"You said you fought a Mazoku in the woods?" Lina said.  
  
"That's right. Took it down with a Rah Tilt."  
  
"And then you met these rangers out of the blue."  
  
"Yeah, after Valgaav got us lost."  
  
Lina began to place, her hand caressing her chin. "Hmm, Filia and I had no trouble navigating the woods. It's not that easy to get lost in there. And was Valgaav leading you?"  
  
Anya began to think, and then her face took on a\n embarrassed crimson. "Well, not really. I just tried to go back out the way I came and got lost. But Valgaav should have been able to lead us out!"  
  
"Not if there was an enchantment in place. I'm beginning to wonder about those rangers." Lina frowned. "OK, Anya, you're out of Dutch. And I'll go tell Filia to take it easy on Valgaav. That ranger – he looks much too good to be true to me."  
  
"He doesn't read as Mazoku."  
  
"Neither did Xellos when we first met. An intelligent Mazoku can conceal its aura to pass for human. Xellos did it for a long time when he was traveling with us in the old days. He might not be a Mazoku himself, though. But Titania does draw them like a beacon."  
  
Anya got up. "I'd better check on Titania. With Mazoku about, she's not safe."  
  
"You do that." Said Lina. Anya got up and left the room. Lina turned to Gourry, whose expression of bemusement had changed to concern. "You didn't notice anything odd about that ranger?"  
  
"Just that he seemed awfully convenient." Gourry replied. "Rangers aren't very common in these parts."  
  
"I'll talk to Filia." Lina said. "The sooner we get rid of that guy, the better I'll feel."  
  
***  
  
Titania was chopping vegetables when Gorvald walked into the kitchen. She looked up at the ranger with surprise in her eyes. "Who are you?"  
  
"My name's Gorvald. I'm going to be joining you for dinner tonight. You work here?"  
  
"No, I'm staying here too. I just needed to relax and get some practice, so Filia let me make dinner while she went out looking for her son. I guess she found him – I could hear her screaming at him all the way in here." Titania looked Gorvald up and down. She then began to blush.  
  
"A pretty girl such as you is wasted in the kitchen," Gorvald said. "You should be a princess on a throne, not cooking food."  
  
"If every pretty girl in the world became a princess, there wouldn't be enough thrones. And I enjoy cooking. But thanks for the compliment. I don't get very many of them, even from my friends."  
  
Gorvald gave her a cheery grin. "You deserve a lot better than to be traveling the roads anyway. You could be Queen of the Forest if you let me take you away from all this."  
  
"I thought you had a woman." Titania slid the vegetables into the stewpot and clamped down the lid. "I didn't think it was a particularly noble trait coming on to serving wenches."  
  
"You're no serving wench." Gorvald replied. "You really are a princess. You just don't know it. And you really are utterly gorgeous."  
  
"Really?" Titania began blushing furiously. "Nobody ever called me gorgeous before."  
  
"What say we let the stew watch itself and...."  
  
"Gorvald!" The two turned their heads and saw that Anya had entered the kitchen. "What are you doing here in the kitchen?"  
  
"Just doing a little courting, that's all. This is quite a taking girl you have here. So much so that I was thinking of taking her myself."  
  
"Titania is traveling with us, and that's the end of it, and if you don't want me to tell Filia what I just saw you'll leave her alone."  
  
Titania walked over to Anya and, still blushing, took her aside. "Anya, it's all right. I know he doesn't mean anything by it. Nobody possibly could. Please don't tell Filia what you saw in here."  
  
"All right, but keep your distance from strange men. Xellos is still out there, and he's not above using any trick he can think of to get you away from us."  
  
***  
  
A few moments later Filia and Lina were sitting down over tea. "And so," Lina said after concluding a long explanation of her conversation with Anya, "I think you should forgive Valgaav and be careful around this Gorvald character."  
  
"You're worrying about nothing. If Gorvald really were a Mazoku, I would have detected it right away. I recognized Titania instantly. And as for Valgaav, I'm trying to get him to restrict his interest to dragons. Having him flirt with your daughter is not acceptable behavior. Surely you're protective of Anya yourself."  
  
"I just remember being her age and driving away everybody who I thought might care about me. If Gourry hadn't been too stupid to recognize that I was trying to push him away, he wouldn't have clung as hard as he did. And then what would have happened? I'd have thrown away my one chance for happiness in this lifetime. Teenagers aren't as smart as they think they are – and, just between you and me, neither are parents."  
  
Filia sighed. "I imagine we just don't get it anymore. And I'm not going to tell you where Valgaav's room is."  
  
"What makes you think I want to know?"  
  
"If Anya is that that hormonal a state she might try to sneak in there, and we can't have that."  
  
"We certainly can't...."  
  
***  
  
Gorvald spent most of dinner talking about the legend of the woods, its appeal to lovers, and its reputation as a place where people tended to disappear. "We rangers find people in there all the time that've; been lost in the woods for days." he said. "The weird thing is that when you've been in the woods that long, you usually end up not wanting to leave. Maybe it's an old glamour from the days of the elves, or something"  
  
Anya had noticed that Valgaav was not at the table. Titania was eating slowly, relishing the savory stew she had made. Gourry and Lina were eating like starving animals, and Filia picked at her food. Anya then looked at the plates in front of Gorvald and noticed something odd.  
  
"Your bowl is empty," she said, "but you've been talking all this time. Didn't we serve you?"  
  
"Oh, I ate my stew. Food just seems to disappear around me."  
  
"Is that so?" Anya's eyes were narrowing. There was something not right about Gorvald, she decided. He was too perfect. Nobody was that attractive. She then noticed that Titania was staring at him wide-eyes and that her cheeks were red. This was beginning to look very bad.  
  
***  
  
Valgaav was lying in his bed, fully clothed and fuming. That Filia had gotten that upset wasn't really a surprise – Filia was normally a sweet and gentle soul, but the whole county knew not to arouse her temper. It was just that he knew the whole group was in danger and he couldn't do anything about it.  
  
A knock came on the door. "Who is it?" he asked.  
  
"It's Titania. I brought you your dinner."  
  
"I'm not hungry. Set it outside."  
  
"If I do that, it'll get cold. Let me in."  
  
"The door isn't locked."  
  
The door opened and Titania walked in bearing a steaming bowl of stew, which she set on the table. She then walked up to Valgaav. "I'm going to die soon' she said. "I just know it."  
  
"Don't be ridiculous," Valgaav said. "You have Anya to protect you, and her parents. You'll be fine."  
  
"I don't want to die in my innocence. Please, Valgaav?" Titania undid one button of her blouse.  
  
"You shouldn't do this, Titania. I know you're not really interested in me, and I'm in enough trouble already."  
  
"Please." She said.  
  
At that moment a knock came on the door."Valgaav?" It was Anya's voice. "Valgaav, I just wanted to say I was sorry for what happened in the woods. Can I come in?"  
  
"No...." Titania said.  
  
"Titania?" Anya burst through the door to see Titania and Valgaav in the room, Titania standing and Valgaav on the bed. "Titania, what are you doing here?'  
  
"None of your business, Anya. Why don't you leave me alone?"  
  
"You don't mean that, Titania!" Anya said. "We're friends."  
  
Valgaav frowned. "Of course she doesn't mean it – because she's not Titania."  
  
Anya shuddered. "What?'  
  
Titania shook her head. "You're not serious! What do you mean I'm not Titania?"  
  
"Titania has no control over her powers," Valgaav said. "If you were her, this room would be reeking of Mazoku. But I can't sense a thing – like in the woods, with Kressida. Who are you, and what's you're game anyway?"  
  
Anya held out her hands. "OK, time out. What brought Kressida into this? Did that ranger woman try anything?"  
  
"Only to rape and murder me. Isn't that right – Kressida?"  
  
Titania, turned around, hurled Anya aside, and ran out of the room.  
  
"Titania!" cried Anya. "Wait!"  
  
"We've got to follow her! I must have only wounded her in the woods. That's what I tried to tell you in front of the inn – Gorvald's a Mazoku!"  
  
Anya ran out of the room, only to see no sign on anyone in the hall. Valgaav followed her out. Anya turned to Valgaav and nodded. "We have to find Titania – the REAL Titania – right now. She's in grave danger!"  
  
"Indeed."  
  
***  
  
In the common room, Gorvald had insisted on helping Titania clean up from dinner. "So," he said with a surprisingly silky voice, "What do you say to my proposition?"  
  
"It's very flattering, but no." Titania said. "I don't dare let anyone get close to me. I'd only be putting you in danger."  
  
"You're putting Anya in danger by staying with her, even more so. If things are as bad as they say you are, Anya can't protect you. I can. Besides, you know that sooner or later she's going to have to turn on you. You can't trust sorceresses."  
  
"I can't trust you either. If you're going to get a room, arrange it with Filia. This conversation is at an end."  
  
At that moment Anya and Valgaav ran into the room. They immediately stared at Gorvald and Titania.  
  
"It's definitely the real Titania." Anya said. "I can sense the aura all the way from here."  
  
Titania looked at her puzzled. "What do you mean 'the real Titania?' What's going on?"  
  
"The dragon and the sorceress have allied against you," Gorvald said. "Surely you can see it."  
  
Anya walked towards Titania slowly. "Titania, I want you to slowly back away from that man."  
  
Instead, Titania inched closer. "I don't understand. Gorvald's been nice to me. What are you going to do to him?"  
  
"I'm only trying to protect you. This man is not who he claims he is, and he wants to hurt you."  
  
"No," said Gorvald, "They're the ones who want to hurt you. She's allied herself with the dragon, and we know how much the dragons hate your kind."  
  
Titania leapt away. "My kind? What do you know about my kind? What makes you think...?"  
  
"Someone with your abilities, you talents, has no place among humans. And as for dragons, they'll hunt you down and kill you the moment they see you. Isn't that exactly what you two have been lying in wait to do all this time?"  
  
Anya shook her head. "No. Titania is my friend. I will protect her."  
  
Valgaav chimed in, "I hardly know Titania, but I do know that I have no intention of harming her. However the same cannot be said for...."  
  
At that moment, clawed hands reaching from behind grabbed Anya and Valgaav by the throat. "NO!" screamed Titania.  
  
"You forgot about someone." Said a voice that sounded just like Kressida's, yet deeper and more resonant. "This weakness of living things, that they have to breathe – I think I'll exploit it by depriving you of air." And the clawed fingers began to squeeze.  
  
"NO!" cried Titania. In an instant, black flame shot out from her eyes and cut the monster in two. It dissolved and Anya and Valgaav fell to the floor, gasping for air.  
  
Titania stood breathing heavily, a black aura surrounding her. Anya looked up and saw Titania. "You! You did that!"  
  
Gorvald laughed. "Splendid! How does it feel to kill, Titania? Isn't it delicious? Wasn't Kuria's surprise and horror a delightful treat?"  
  
Valgaav stood. "You sacrificed your companion just to give Titania a target?"  
  
"There's more where that came from," Gorvald said. "There are many lives here to be taken. The sorceress, the dragons, the swordsman. The hunger must be growing inside you."  
  
Anya stood up and began to slowly walk towards Titania. "You don't have to listen to him, Titania. The inn? Remember what happened at the inn?"  
  
Titania spoke, but in a different, darker voice. "Anya, you held me back. I could have avenged my Master, why did you stop me?"  
  
Gorvald cried. "Strike her down, Titania! Embrace your Mazoku blood! Do that and nothing will be beyond you!"  
  
Black fire formed in Titania's hands.  
  
"Titania, No!" cried Anya as the bolts of black flame discharged.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED..... 


	6. An Unwanted Battle!

SLAYERS INHERIRTANCE

"Unwanted Battle! The Demon Within!"

by Michael Hopcroft

"I'm Anya Inverse, and I'm a bit busy right now.  Mazoku have invaded the inn where Titania and my family are staying, and Titania has just used her powers to slay one of them. But she's out of control! The second Mazoku, posing as a Ranger is encouraging to kill more people – starting with me! If I'm going to save Titania and the world, I'm going to first have to find a way to save myself!"

***

Anya raised a protective shield just as the blast from Titania was about to strike her. The blast struck the barrier, shattered it, and hurled Anya into the wall. For all that, Anya felt lucky – the barrier had absorbed most of a blow that should have utterly destroyed her.

At that moment Lina, Filia and Gourry ran into the room alerted by the blast that had obliterated Kuria. Filia ran over to the stricken Anya. "I'll heal your injuries." She said.

"Don't bother with me," Anya said, "Get the egg out of here. I'm not hurt that badly."

Lina placed her hand on Anya. "She's right – she' just had the wind knocked out of her. Get your son and the egg out of here. This isn't your fight."

Valgaav interrupted. "I'm not going, Mother. This is my fight too." He suddenly turned and leapt upon Gorvald, who leapt out of the way. The two faced each other and Valgaav raised his fists in a defensive posture. "I am your opponent, Mazoku.  Strike me down if you can."

Gorvald smiled and drew his sword. "You may be the last of the Ancient Dragons, but you are a fool to go at me unarmed – and I know you don't dare use your breath weapon ion here."

In answer, Valgaav grabbed Gorvald's sword arm and shouted "DISPLACEMENT!" In an instant, both were gone from the room.

"VALGAAV!" cried Filia. "What does he think he's doing?"

Anya stood, her wind restored. "Actually, Filia, that was smart tactics. He knew he'd have to hold back in the house, so he's used a teleportation spell to move the fight outside. I wish we had that option with Titania. I'll distract her while you evacuate the egg!" Anya shifted into an archer's stance. "FREEZE ARROW!" she cried, casting an ice spell at Titania. The Mazoku girl was instantly encased in ice. "Now, Filia! Get that egg out of here!"

Filia grabbed the egg and its holder and teleported away.

"Did that do it?" asked Anya. "Will Titania cool off now, Mom?"

"Not a chance. And we don't dare provoke her into a full battle – who knows what she could do with her uncontrolled power?"

Gourry had his hand on the hilt of the Blast Blade. "I think I can deflect her blows if she comes after me," he said, "but I don't want to hurt her – and if I used the Blast Blade I certainly would."

Lina frowned. "And if I used the Dragon Slave I'd blow up Filia's house, and all I'd succeed in doing is destroy Titania's human body. No, we have to calm her down."

Anya noticed the ice surrounding Titania begin to crack. "Cast a protection spell, Mom. It's up to me."

Lina nodded and cast the spell.

***

Gorvald looked around at his new surroundings. He and Valgaav, still touching, were on top out a mountain peak. The wind whipped around them, its chill cutting to the bone. "Neat trick, boy, but that won't save you. What did you hope to accomplish by dying at a distance rather than on the spot?"

Valgaav smiled. "I can accomplish nothing by dying. But I can get you pout of the way." At that instant Valgaav transformed into a dragon.

Gorvald looked up in surprised awe. "An Ancient Dragon…."

Valgaav lifted a foot, which Gorvald took for a martial maneuver. He soon found out how mistaken he was, as the foot landed squarely on his head and drove him deep into the ground.

Satisfied the Mazoku would give him no more trouble for the time being, Valgaav resumed human form. "I'm told being stepped on by a dragon is a very unpleasant experience. Next time we meet, you'll have to tell me if they were right." He smiled as he saw Gorvald slowly rise out of the ground. As soon as he had reached his full height, Valgaav punched the Mazoku three times, twice in the head and once in the stomach. He followed through with a roundhouse kick to the temple. Gorvald fell to the ground again, and got up slowly.

"I thought a Mazoku with as much bluster as you would be tougher." Valgaav saw a ball of black flame form in Gorvald's hand in time to dodge it. "You've still got some fight in you" he said. "Try a taste of mine!" Valgaav opened his mouth and unleashed a breath-weapon attack that cut down the Mazoku's side. Gorvald reeled, and was not ready when Valgaav landed a hard foot to his jaw.

Gorvald began to raise his hand again when suddenly a third person appeared on the peak. Valgaav did not recognize him, but Gorvald did. "Lord Xellos…." Gorvald said, "Save me!"

"Xellos looked at the sight before him. "Oh dear, this won't do. Gorian, you've forgotten the mission our mistress gave you. You were sent to turn Anya Inverse, not flirt with my daughter. She will not be pleased."

"I'll take her punishment," Gorian said, "just save me from this dragon! He's merciless!"

Xellos looked Valgaav up and down. "So, you've grown up again. I don't think you recognize how easily I could obliterate you for what you've done."

"All I did was buy some time for Anya." said Valgaav. "If you're going to kill me for it, at least I did something worth dying for in my life."

"Not yet, dear boy. I have plans for you now. You are very interesting to me now. You say you want to protect Anya. To do that will take more power than you possess. I could give you that power, on the spot, right now." Xellos smiled enigmatically. "What say we let bygones be bygones?"

"I was told the dragon whose name I bear took power from a Mazoku, and it drove him mad. No thank you. Power for sanity is a poor trade. Sorry, trickster, but you can't have me. Not this time."

"Another time, then? I'll leave you to your grief then."

Valgaav stood stunned. "What do you mean by that?" Xellos merely smiled. "Answer me, Mazoku! What did you mean by that?"

"I meant," said Xellos as he and Gorvald faded away like the Cheshire Cat, "is that in the time it took you to fight my servant, Anya Inverse is almost certainly dead. Chew on that for a moment." And at the last word they were gone.

Valgaav screamed and teleported back to the inn.

*** 

Meanwhile Anya inverse walked deliberately towards Titania. Her body was surrounded by the golden glow on Lina's protection spell.

Titania was surrounded by black flame, which shot out in random directions. Occasionally a spark would strike Anya's barrier and dissipate. "Don't come any closer!" Titania cried in that dark-toned voice her new form took. "There's nothing you can do for me anymore."

"You can be human again." Anya said. "You can take joy in simple pleasures like cooking a well-prepared meal."

"Just give up on me! I'm a Mazoku! A monster! The enemy of all who live!"

"Funny, I thought my mother was the Mortal Enemy of All Who Live." Anya ignored the glare she got from Lina. "Titania, I'm not going to give up on you as long as I live."

The black flame grew more intense. "If you come any closer you'll die, Anya!" cried Titania. "The power is beyond human control."

"I don't know about that. You've controlled it before. You can control it again."

Lina got an idea. "Positive emotion, Anya! That's what she needs to get back under control!"

"Positive emotion, eh? Keep that shield up, Mom!" Anya took two more steps towards Titania until she was almost in range to touch her. The heat of the flames threatened to penetrate the barrier.

"What are you doing?" Titania said. "You can't be thinking to grapple me!"

What followed was not a grapple.

It was a hug.

"Titania," Anya said, "You're my friend.  You'll always be my friend. I want you to feel and absorb the power of my friendship. Titania, come back to us. We miss you. Besides, I want you to teach me how to make those noodles!" the heat threatened to break through and burn her alive, but Anya held tight.

At that moment, Titania's eyes opened. They were not the eyes of a ravening monster – they were human eyes. The flames died down until they were extinguished. Tears filled Titania's eyes and she began to weep into Anya's shoulder.

"Shh, shh, it's all right," whispered Anya. "It's over now. The Mazoku are gone, and you're back to yourself."

Through sobs, Titania whispered "I'm so sorry I hurt you, Anya."

"Hurt me? Titania, you saved me. Remember what set you off? It was my life in danger that set you off on the rampage. I told you you were one of the good monsters."

Valgaav appeared at that instant. "Anya! Are you…."

Lina took Valgaav aside. "Don't interrupt a moment of girlhood bonding." She said. "As you can see, we won. That was a brilliant move, getting Gorvald out of the way."

"I saw an old friend of yours." Said Valgaav. "He wanted to give me power, but I turned him down."

"Yes, I can tell you turned him down. That was very wise."

At that moment a tall man with blond hair in ornate golden robes walked into the inn. What's going on here?" he said. "Where's my Filia? Where's the egg? And what is Lina Inverse doing here."

Lina stammered. "This – this isn't what it looks like…." She then heaved an outward sigh. "Oh, to hell with it. I might as well tell you from the beginning…."

*** 

Within the hour Filia had returned to the inn with the egg, everything that had been knocked down in the battle was back in place, and everyone was sitting down to tea while Lina explained what had happened. It had taken a long time, especially once Valgaav had described his battle with Gorvald. Milgasia, the Golden Dragon who had come in for his scheduled meeting with Filia took it all in patiently before speaking.

"There is only one solution to this problem, and I think you know what it is. Titania's power must be sealed away permanently." Milgasia said. "Unfortunately, we at Dragon peak do not have that power. Only in the Holy Kingdom of Seyruun do they possess that knowledge."

Lina smiled. "We were heading for Seyruun anyway. "I just wish we could get there faster."

"It will be a very hazardous journey. Xellos and his agents will be hounding you every step of the way. Valgaav, Xellos now recognizes you as a threat. You are no longer safe here."

Valgaav set down his teacup. "Then where will I go, Father?"

"The same place they're going – Seyruun. They will need a bodyguard with your unique talents."

Lina frowned. "Valgaav, you're a nice boy and all that – but if you lay one finger on my daughter or Titania, I'll fry you extra-crispy! And don't think I won't be checking on you every single night!"

Anya bristled at the thought. "Mother! IS that really how little you think of me, that I would lose my innocence to a jerk like him!"

"Jerk?" Valgaav shot back. "I have been a perfect gentleman all this time! I risked my life for you! And this is the thanks I get? Don't worry; your virtue is going to be safe for at least a hundred years."

"Are you saying I'm unattractive?!?"

"Of course not. But who'd risk courting the daughter of Lina Inverse? No man who doesn't meet her standards has a hope of survival, and no man can hope to meet her standards!"

Lina slammed her hand on the table. "Now wait just a minute! Are you saying I'd want my daughter to live out her entire life an old maid?"

"I'm saying you'd lock her away in a nunnery if any nunnery in the Realms would take her."

"That does it!" cried Lina. "You are NOT coming with us, and that's final!"

Anya took Lina's arm, gently but firmly. "Mom, it's OK. I want him to come with us. Milgasia is right, we need him. And I actually kind of like having him around."

Lina looked at her in shock. Gourry chose this moment to step behind his wife and give her a big hug.

"It'll be OK. ' Gourry said. "Remember what you were like when you were her age? If your parents had been with you and taken that attitude while you were on your quests, where would we be now?"

Anya looked at her parents, and then at Valgaav. "That's not what I meant!" she said. "Just because I like having him around doesn't mean I'm going to go all gaga over him!  Besides, dragons live for hundreds of years!"

"Thousands," Valgaav corrected her.

"That's still an awful long time compared to me! No way would I sign up for a deal like that! Never! Not even if I lived a million years!"

Titania sipped her tea, a blend Filia had given her for its tranquilizing qualities. "The more you protest, Anya, the less I believe you." Anya blushed furiously and resumed her seat. "Besides, I think Valgaav's cute," She leaned over and planted a kiss on Valgaav's cheek. All three of them blushed a deep crimson, although Anya's blush could easily have been mistaken for fury.

Gourry stroked his wife's hair. "This should be an exciting trip," he said. "I bet people would pay to watch these fireworks."

TO BE CONTINUED….


	7. We're Going Alone?

SLAYERS INHERITANCE

"We're Going Alone? Mom's Surprising Announcement!"

by Michael Hopcroft

"Anya Inverse here! Boy, did we have a hard day! Titania went Mazoku on us and almost killed everybody. Luckily I was able to cool her off and get her back to herself. Meanwhile, Valgaav took on the Mazoku Gorvald by himself and thinks he won.  Anyway, it's now been decided that we're going to Seyruun after all and that Valgaav is coming with us. I don't know what'll be harder – keeping Valgaav's paws off me or Titania's paws off Valgaav! Doesn't anybody keep their paws to themselves?"

In their double-bedded room, Titania and Anya couldn't sleep. They knew they were leaving for Seyruun in the morning, but Filia had decided that everybody should spend the night in the inn. Then she and Milgasia had gone off for a midnight flight – Valgaav had described it as "Mom's idea of a night out".

"I wonder what Filia and Milgasia are doing out there?" Titania asked.

"You have to ask? They're probably rutting like rabbits in some clearing." Anya frowned. "Speaking of which, I don't hear anything from Mom and Dad's room."

"Should you?"

"This early in the evening? You don't really know how loud they get when they think nobody's listening. They must be really deep in thought if they're forgoing sex."

*** 

Filia and Milgasia returned to the inn and shifted back to human form. Filia smiled at her mate with a mischievous expression of the kind she showed only to him. "So which do you like better – human Filia or dragon Filia?"

Milgasia answered her gleam with a wink. "Filia is Filia. I like her both ways."

"Then are you up for another bout – in human form?"

"Why no – Lina?"

Filia looked into the common room and was surprised to see Lina and Gourry sitting there. "Lina? What are you doing here?"

Lina blushed slightly. "Filia, you still have your priestly skills, right?"

"Yes, although I haven't really used them in years. Why do you ask?"

"I seem to be gaining a little bit of weight, and I don't normally gain weight given how much I've been easting. It's been a long time since my body has reacted the way it's reacting."

Filia's eyes narrowed. "How long, exactly?"

"Sixteen years."

Filia walked over to Lina, laid a hand on her belly, and closed her eyes. She was rewarded with a slight golden glow. Filia opened her eyes and smiled benevolently. "The reason is the same." She said. "Are you happy or worried?"

"Both, actually. What is this going to mean for the trip? We can't pout it off – we're a target as long as Xellos knows where we are."

Milgasia frowned. "You're right – but there's one way out of your dilemma. Are you prepared?"

"No. Any wouldn't have survived that last battle without me. She'd have no chance on her own if Titania goes out of control again."

"Are you sure about that?" Milgasia asked.

Gourry sat down in front of Lina. "Anya has become quite a capable sorceress," he said. "And it's not like you'll never see her again"

"That's just what I'm afraid of. I can't send my daughter on what might be a suicide mission!"

"Lina, darling, listen. If you didn't want Anya to face danger, we would have settled down in Seyruun and you would have become the court sorcerer. Danger isn't suicide, otherwise we'd both be dead. And Anya WANTS to do this. She's befriended Titania and Valgaav, and she won't let her friends down. She's not that kind of girl."

Lina gave Gourry a slight smile, then broadened it and finally grabbed him around the neck. "Nothing worries you, does it, you darling jellyfish?"

"Only the fact that I may have to be smelling dirty diapers again."

*** 

Titania and Anya walked into the common room in the morning to see a sumptuous breakfast laid out of the table. Filia brought in a huge pot of tea. "Well, girls, it's about time you woke up. We've got sausages, eggs, hotcakes, bacon, ham – just about anything you could possibly want in a breakfast. And strong breakfast blend tea to wash it all down."

"Mother went a little bit overboard this morning," Valgaav said, "So you girls had better enjoy it." Lina and Gourry were keeping their distance, not wanting to begin the breakfast struggled until everyone got to the table.

"What's the occasion – aside from us leaving in the morning, that is?"

Lina frowned. "It's for your graduation. Anya, you're going to be leading this expedition."

"Why aren't you going?"

"No, I'm not. You see, I just found out that Gourry and I are having another baby, and I can't aff0ord to risk the baby."

Anya stared at her mother wide-eyed. "Really?  I'm going to have a brother or sister?"

"Both, actually." Said Filia. "Lina's pregnant with twins -- one male, one female. So you'll have a little brother and a little sister."

"Congratulations, Lina!" cried Titania. "That's wonderful news!"

"Thanks. Anyway, I expect this to be a difficult pregnancy, so if I went with you I'd be in the way." Lina said. "I'm going to stay here."

"But Mom, who's going to protect you from Xellos?"

"You worry about Xellos from now on, Anya.  I'll be fine. Now, let's gobble up that delicious-looking breakfast and they you guys can be going. Oh, and Valgaav?"

Valgaav gulped. "Yes, Ms. Inverse?"

"You are going to be on your best behavior – or else!"

*** 

After breakfast, Anya quickly packed her bags and headed towards the wagon. Valgaav stopper her at the door and shook his head. "No wagon. We'll be too conspicuous, and we may want to keep off the main roads."

"You mean we're going to have to WALK to Seyruun? That's not fair! I'm in charge, and I say we take the wagon!"

"The wagon is a target. One fire spell and we'll have to walk anyway – only without all our weapons and provisions. We take money, whatever provisions we can carry on our backs, and weapons."

Anya raised her finger to scold Valgaav, but then relaxed it and shrugged her shoulders. "Oh well. Now that I think about it, what you're saying makes sense. It'll take us longer to get to Seyruun, but we will be a less obvious target."

"Glad to be of help."

"Oh, and Valgaav, you're not going to be making any moves on Titania, are you?"

Valgaav stood aghast. "Titania? What makes you think that?"

"She did kiss you."

"On the cheek! It was just a friendly peck!" Anya smiled wickedly. Valgaav didn't like the look of that smile. "What are you up to?"

Anya suddenly leaned over and kissed Valgaav on the cheek. "Now we're even." She said. "And if you try that yourself, I'll give you a fireball you never forget!"

"You know, it might be worth it." That remark caused Anya to blush furiously.

"Wha… wha… What's THAT supposed to mean?"

"I think I'll just let you stew about that for a while. Now let's get our packs together and head out. And get a pair of pants for Titania. They're better for long-distance travel than a skirt." Valgaav smiled enigmatically and went back into the inn.

Anya stood alone in the hall, still blushing. *What is this guy doing to me?* she thought.

*** 

A few hours later, everyone was assembled. Titania had changed into a traveling outfit with trousers, comfortable shoes, a red top and a hooded cloak. Valgaav handed her a sword. "Know how to use one of these?" he asked.

"No."

Anya frowned. "They I'll have to teach you. We can't have you going Mazoku every time somebody attacks us. I'll try to teach you some basic defensive spells too. That way you won't feel so helpless."

Lina walked up to say goodbye to her daughter. "Take care of yourself, darling" she said.  "I want your brother and sister to know their big sister."

"You take care of yourself too, Mom. I'm gonna miss you so much!"

"I'll miss you too, Anya. But this is your chance to prove what you can do on your own. Make me proud, OK?"

"I will."

Then Lina turned a menacing glare to Valgaav. "And, Valgaav, if you lay a finger on my daughter…."

Valgaav smiled. "I promise I'll uphold the honor of the Ancient Dragons in spite of all temptation."

The farewells lasted for several more minutes before the three teenagers left for the trip.

*** 

That evening, Lina sat in the common room, reading a book, when Filia walked up to her."

"It's OK, Lina. The two of you can stay here until the babies come. You don't even have to pay me."

Lina shook her head. "I can pay, and I will. I'll even pay in advance. You know how high-maintenance I am.

Suddenly a man in priestly robes appears before them. Lina hissed. "Xellos!"

"Don't I get to say goodbye to my daughter?" Xellos said. 

"She's already left." Lina replied. "No now what are you going to do – take it out on me?"

"You wound me, Lina. We're old friends. I could never hurt you. Or you.my delightful little dragoness."

"Does that apply to my daughter?" Lina asked. "Because I don't care what kind of past we have together – if you harm one hair on Anya's head, I will hunt you down to the Sea of Chaos and personally destroy you in ways that only a Mazoku would appreciate."

"That won't happen in Anya sees reason. Titania belong with me, Lina. Her place is at my side. In Anya realizes this, everything will be fine."

Lina smiled a smile that would chill the blood of anyone who saw it.. "You're wrong, Trickster. You may have infused her with your power, but Titania is human and that's how she's going to live out her life."

Xellos frowned. "We'll see about that." And with that he vanished.

"Is this going to happen every bloody night?" Lina asked Filia. The dragon could only shrug.

TO BE CONTINUIED…


	8. The Stone Prince!

SLAYERS INHERITANCE

"A Prince of Stone! Cardanis Arrives!"

by Michael Hopcroft

'Anya Inverse again! We're off the Seyruun to get Titania's Mazoku power sealed away fro good! I'd be happier about this trip if my parents were coming along, but my mother, the sorcery genius Lina Inverse, got herself pregnant with twins so we're on our own. But it's not just me and Titania – Valgaav is coming along too. I swear I'm old enough not to need a chaperone on a trip like this! But I can't help but wonder if I really might before this is – STOP IT! I ma NOT interested in Valgaav! Really! I think…"

"How far away are we from the next town?" Anya asked as the trio of her, Valgaav and Titania continued to walk down the road.

Valgaav took out his map. "According to my map, another two hours. You'll have to suck it up."

Anya huffed. "I'm doing fine, but I'm worried that Titania might start to leg soon."

"I'll be all right," Titania said, "we're keeping a nice, slow pace and I'm not winded."

Anya's eyes narrowed and her voice turned suspicious. "Wait a minute. You're a dragon, aren't you? Then why can't we ride to Seyruun on your back? We can get there in a matter of…."

"We'd still be several days away, and I can't fly that far in one go. Dragons gotta eat too, you know. Walking is good enough for us."

Anya began to sulk. "I don't want to walk all the way to Seyruun. Not that I can't, but I don't want to."

In the distance they heard footsteps. "Watch yourself," Valgaav said. Someone's approaching.

"Don't a lot of travelers use this road?' Asked Titania. "We can't go around assuming everybody we meet is a Mazoku in disguise. We'd get paranoid that way."

A few minutes later a voice emerged in front of the on the path. "Ahoy, pretty ladies!"

Valgaav frowned. "Yep, definitely a Mazoku."

Any shook her head. I don't think so – I recognize the voice. Let me go on ahead. You hold back!" Anya started to run down the path.

'She'd better know what she's doing." Valgaav said.

"Let's catch up to her," said Titania. "She's a target too, and we can't let her out of her sight!"

*** 

Anya ran forward until she saw a man in white with gold braid in the distance. There was something distinctive about him. "Hey there! I thought I knew that voice!"

The man stopped. "Anya? Anya Inverse?" He then started to run towards her and met her in the middle of the road. "I haven't seen you in four years! How are you doing?" The man was tall, with steel-wire hair and skin of blue-gray stone.

"Prince Cardanis! It's been so long! Are you surprised at how I've grown out?"

"Behind Anya two voices were heard in the distance."Anya! Are you all right?" cried Valgaav as he approached. "Is this man…?"

Anya smiled and turned aside so her companions could see her friend. "Allow me to introduce Prince Cardanis in Greywards el Seyruun, second son of the Queen and fourth in line to the throne of Seyruun."

Titania reflexively got on her knees. "Your highness." She said. "This is indeed a great honor."

"Wait a minute?" asked Valgaav. "Aren't you a chimera?"

Anya dug an elbow into Valgaav's ribs. "You really don't get pout much, do you? All of Queen Amelia's children are chimeras. Just like their father, Prince Consort Zelgadis. How's the royal family doing, by the way?"

Cardanis smiled cheerfully. "Spectacularly well. It's been a good year in Seyruun. Even father is cheerful, which is difficult to accomplish." He then noticed Titania was still on her knees. "You can get up now, young lady. People bowing to me and treating me with extreme deference makes me uncomfortable. Do you know how hard it is to get battle training from teachers who refuse to lay a hand on you?"

Titania got up. "Sorry, your highness."

"Call me Cardanis, please. You must be Titania. You're the very people I've been looking for!"

Valgaav looked at the prince suspiciously. "Really?"

"Two weeks ago one of our mages got a magical signal message from Lina Inverse explaining the situation you were in. It was greed that those members of the royal family who were able would search for you and bring you safely to Seyruun. The Queen stayed behind, of course, as did father, and Felianis stayed behind because we didn't want to risk the direct heir on what was obviously going to be a dangerous quest. I guess I was the lucky one to find you."

Titania blanched. "I'm really causing that much trouble?"

"Since news of your existence came out, there's been talk of it all over the world. News travels faster than you think in this world, what with the various magical means of news-spreading. Several kingdoms have placed a price on your head, in the belief that killing you would destroy the Mazoku."

Anya blanched at the thought. "Are we going to be passing through any of those kingdoms?"

"A couple, but don't worry. I'll just say you're in my custody and I'm taking you to Seyruun for the administration of justice. This in a sense is true, since we are taking you to Seyruun to see if we can seal off your Mazoku side."

Titania shook a little bit. "Why thank you, your – thank you, Cardanis."

"Besides, killing a lovely girl like you would be such a waste of potential." The prince added. "Not to mention a grave injustice."

Valgaav was fuming. "Jealous?" Anya chided. "Jealous that someone is smoother than you are?"

"I am NOT jealous." Valgaav said. "I just think this guy thinks entirely too much of ---" Valgaav suddenly stopped and raised his hand. "Listen!" he whispered.

Anya listened and heard rushing in the underbrush. "Cardanis, were you followed?"

"I didn't notice anybody, but that doesn't mean there wasn't anybody. I am pretty conspicuous."

Anya drew her sword. "Be ready for anything." She said softly, and then she shouted. "Whoever you are, come on out!"

Ten men leapt into the road from the brush. "The bounty is ours!" one of the men said. Let's take her head right now!"

"No!" cried Titania.

"Keep calm," said Anya, "whatever you do. We'll handle this. Ahem. If you creeps know who this girl is than obviously you know who's protecting her. If you go back now and report that you've failed in your mission, you'll leave this scene with you lives. But if I get an idea that any survivors from your band plan to report our whereabouts, then no mercy!"

The man drew his sword and approached Anya. "If you were Lina Inverse that would be impressive. But as it is, I have no intention of letting any of you live. My name's Teldarian, and I am a first-rate sorcerer myself."

"Really?" Anya pointed her sword at the man. "Let's see how well you hold up to a MONO VOLT!" Lightning shot through Anya's sword and struck the man square in the chest. He shook for a few moments then fell to the ground, scorched." Anya saw the other men draw swords and get ready to charge. "Circle round Titania!" Anya cried. "Everybody protect her!"

"Right!" said the prince. The travelers formed a circle with Titania at the center. Titania prepared to draw her sword.

The charge stuck in an instant. Anya ducked under a sword and struck its wilder through the chest, pulling it out and clipping the man beside him in the neck.  She looked to either side and saw that Cardanis had his sword out and was holding his own, striking down bounty hunters as fast as they had come at him. Valgaav was relying on his fists, throwing bounty hunters right and left. Soon all the bounty hunters were down.

Cardanis began to wander around the bodies checking pulses. "I think we got them all. What you were saying about leaving no survivors…."

"I meant it. We can't allow anyone to spread our whereabouts to other bounty hunters."

Cardanis stood up. "Well, you got your wish. I wish I'd known who sent them, though. Attacking a member of the Royal family is very serious business." Cardanis put up his sword, and Anya did the same. He then noticed Titania was still standing there in shock. "It's all over, Titania. You can put away your sword now."

Titania nodded and sheathed her sword. She then turned to Anya. "I'm sorry I didn't do much."

Anya smiled and clapped Titania on the shoulder. "Next time, don't even draw the sword until you know how to use it. Your job is to get to Seyruun in one piece."

Titania turned to Prince Cardanis. "I'm sorry I put you to all this trouble."

"It's really no trouble at all, young lady." He then leaned down and kissed her on the lips. Anya and Valgaav both face-faulted.

"Ca – Ca – Cardanis! Do you always kiss girls the first time you meet them?" Anya asked in shock. "What would your parents say?"

"My parents aren't here," he answered. "Besides, it calmed her down, didn't it? It looks like she rather enjoyed it."

*** 

That night Cardanis had gotten them two rooms at a local inn. They were each double-rooms, one for Cardanis and Valgaav and one for Anya and Titania. After Anya had devoured the buffet, they settled into their rooms.

"That was a very charming prince" Titania said as they entered the room. "I wonder if he really did kiss me just to cool me off."

Anya looked at her. 'You're blushing still, so it had the opposite effect."

"Really? I've never had anyone kiss me before that meant it. I hope nothing happens to him because he's dealing with me."

"You really enjoyed that, didn't you?"

"Honest?" Titania asked, and Anya nodded. "Yes, I did. I enjoyed it a lot. It was like tasting soft, warm stone. I could get to like it if he did it more often."

"Well we're not here on a matchmaking trip. Remember, anyone who gets close to you is a target for the Mazoku, and the closer you are the bigger the target they are."

"You seem willing to take that risk." Titania. Drifted off into a state of bliss. "God he's gorgeous!"

*Well, at least it's a positive emotion. That's a good sign.* thought Anya as she prepared for bed.

*** 

Valgaav and Cardanis got ready for bed almost silently. Only when they got into their beds did Cardanis start to speak. "That is one fine-looking young lady." He said.

"Yes, Anya is very attractive." Valgaav replied. "I don't know if she knows just how attractive she is."

"I was talking about Titania. There's something truly special about her, ad not the Mazoku taint. You know how sometimes you can look in someone's eyes and see into their heart?"

"Who told you that?"

"My mother. She uses the metaphor all the time to explain how she fell in love with father. And the same thing may be happening here."

Valgaav shot up. "You're not serious? Are you trying to tell me you're falling in love with TITANIA?"

"I don't know for sure yet, but that girl may be the best thing that's ever happened to me. I just don't know if she could accept me."

"You're a PRINCE, for crying out loud! There are so many women b\vying for your hand that you're going to have a very hard \time choosing!"

"I don't know. All I know s that I've got to spend more time with that girl get to know her. I'll never forgive myself if I don't."

*** 

Gorian twisted in agony as Beastmaster Xellas manipulated an object in one hand that looked like a puppet's controls. With each movement of her hand, Gorian's body stretched in a new and painful direction.

Xellos chose that particular moment to walk into the throne room. "Are you quite enjoying yourself, Mistress?"

"Why yes, I am. I'm hoping you don't forget this lesson, Gorian, when I give you an order, I want you to remember it." She let go of the control and Gorian slumped to the floor. "Have you been following developments, General?"

"Indeed I have. The Chimera Prince of Seyruun – well one of them, anyway, has joined their little party." Xellos frowned. "Mistress, it is vital that they not reach Seyruun. Putting up those bounties was an excellent idea, but finding a bounty hunter that will be a match for those three will be quite a challenge. If the humans just continue to harass them, that will only strengthen their determination."

"Then you have my permission to unleash the Terian Hounds. Kill the boys, but bring the girls to me."

"As you wish. I can see what you want with my daughter, but why Anya Inverse?"

"She amuses me. That's enough."

Xellos smiled. "Yes. She is very amusing, just like her mother. I share your fascination."

TO BE CONTINUED…


	9. The Hounds Unleashed!

SLAYERS INHERITANCE

"The Hounds Unleashed! Xellos Strikes!"

by Michael Hopcroft

"Anya Inverse here, and let me tell you I'm one confused girl. We were on our way to Seyruun when who should we run into but my old friend Prince Cardanis, fourth-in-lien for Seyruun's throne. Yeah, I know he's a chimera, but he's also a prince and a gorgeous hunk. So he goes and kisses – TITANIA? I mean, Titania's a nice girl and all, but at the first meeting? I didn't think he was that kind of guy. I'm gonna have to watch that pair."

On the road again, the four were keeping a constant lookout. "You never know when bounty hunters or worse will strike," Anya had explained as they set out, "so we'll have to be extra careful."

Originally Anya had wanted to keep the four in a group, but Cardanis and Titania had sort of fallen back, as if it was deliberate so that Anya could not hear their conversation. And every time she looked back, she saw that they were deep in conversation behind her back.

"They're not paying attention!" Anya fumed. "Dammit, I need them to be alert!"

Valgaav, who was still waling beside Anya smiled enigmatically at her. "I think you can leave them be for a while, Anya. Really, have you ever seen Titania calmer or more engrossed?"

"Well…. Now that you mention it, they do seem to be pretty happy with each other back there. I wonder what they're talking about."

"Maybe the same things we should talk about," Valgaav answered. 

"If you're insinuating what I think you're insinuating,' Anya said, "you're going to be one crispy dragon before I'm though with you! "

"Five hundred and seventy-two." Valgaav smiled. "that's the number of times your mother punched, body-slammed, fireballed or otherwise assaulted your father for saying something stupid before she realized what was really going on. I'm not trying to goad you or get under your skin, Anya. Do you want the truth?"

Anya's anger was replaced by a deepening blush. "The truth?"

"The truth. The truth is that ever since I met you, your happiness and welfare is all I've been thinking about."

"Valgaav…."

"I've never had that happen before, so I can't express it very well. It's just that, well, you're important to me, Anya. If anything happened to you I don't know what I'd do."

Anya was now blushing a furious crimson. "Valgaav , I – hell, I don't know WHAT to say. Nobody's ever told me I'm important except my parents."

"I think," said Valgaav, "that you have become the most important thing in my life."

Anya decided the best thing to do was to shut up, so she did.

Meanwhile, behind them, Titania and Cardanis were talking in a much more amiable way. But Titania was very serious. "It's very dangerous to be around me, Cardanis. You haven't seen my power out of control. I can understand you seeming to like me and all, but I could just as easily kill you as anyone else if I went out of control, and I don't want that."

Cardanis shook his head sadly. "Titania, Titania, you don't understand. In my family, we're used to taking risks like that. And let me tell you something else – to fall in love always means risking pain. Rejection, doubt and anxiety hurt as much as fireballs, if not more."

Titania wanly smiled. "Fall in love? Is that what's happening to us?"

"I think so," Cardanis replied. "Now that we've had a chance to travel and talk together, I can see that if we can get those powers of yours sealed away that you would be a great companion for me. You're practical, down-to-earth, intelligent, and gorgeous to boot."

"I don't know. I don't think I'd take to being a princess of a throne."

"Oh, I'm a long way from a throne. I have three brothers and sisters ahead of me in the line of succession, and I have no intention of doing any leap-frogging. I'll probably take a ministyr somewhere in the palace if I ever settle down there and advise my mother, and my brother once he ascends. It takes a lot more to run a kingdom than a Queen. Besides, my borther says he doesn't want to inherit for many, many years. You know what he told me one. He told me 'the problem with being heir to a throne is that, if you're going to inherit, the mother you love has to die.' He doesn't want that."

"The temptation must be strong."

"Not really. Mother and father work 16-hour days running the kingdom, and my brother the Crown Prince works and trains nearly as long.  I hear Mother and Father get about three hours of sleep every night."

"Wow. That's what I call dedication."

"Dedication is the essence of royalty. If you let ambition get in the way, you can't do what's right by your people."

*** 

The next town was reached surprisingly without incident. There was only one inn, and Anya promptly proceeded to eat it out of house and home. Cardanis ate a somewhat less hearty meal, Titania picked at her food all the while starting at Cardanis, and Valgaav occupied himself with a leg of lamb.

The innkeeper walked in and presented the very large tab, which Cardanis paid. "And how many rooms will you be needing tonight?" the innkeeper asked.

"Four!" cried Anya.

"Is that a wise use of our money?" Valgaav asked.

"I need to be alone for a while, OK? What's wrong with that?"

"We have four rooms," the innkeeper said, "which I will be happy to rent to you four travelers. It's not often we have a Prince of Seyruun here."

*** 

Anya went to sleep right away as soon as she got into her room She began to dream.

In the dream, she saw Valgaav's smiling face. He was approaching her, and she noticed he was nor wearing a shirt. "Anya," he said.

"Yes, Val darling?"

"I love you. You know that, don't you?"

"Yes I know." Anya started to approach him, only to see him disappear. In his place, equally shirtless, stood Xellos.

"Looks like I've found the weakness I've been looking for." Xellos said. "You belong with me, girl.  Your power, the call of your blood, belongs on our side. I could call you daughter too, you know. Or perhaps lover, if that is the way you wanted to play it. Come to me, Anya. Come to Wolfpack Island."

"No! We're going to Seyruun!"

"Ah, Seyruun. We can't have that, can we? Imagine how a holy city would react to a girl like Titania. They'd kill her on the spot. You know that. You know her only safety is with me. Yours, too. What can you do to stop me, really?"

Anya smiled enigmatically. "I can wake up. I know when I'm dreaming and when I'm awake."

"This isn't an ordinary dream, you know." Xellos said. "You can't wake up from it until I let you." At that moment a burning pain  struck her in the forehead. "I know what you're thinking – you can't feel pain in a dream. Well, this is different. I'll be expecting you at Wolfpack Island." With that eh disappeared.

"You bastard!" Anya cried. "Come back here!" And witht aht she woke up, buty somehow her forehead still hurt.

Anya picked up a mirror and held it up to look at her face. To her horror, she saw a burn in the shape on a fingerprint right in the middle of her forehead!

"Then it wasn't a dream." Anya said. "Wolfpack Island? If I'm going there, it'll be against my will."

*** 

In the morning, Anya walked out of her room. Valgaav walked out at about the same time, and noticed the burn. "What happened to you?" he asked, concern in his voice.

"I had a visitor last night. Can you heal this burn?"

Valgaav placed his hand on her forehead and chanted a spell. When he took off his hand, the burn was gone. "Your forehead was hot," he said. "And I don't think it was all from the burn."

"Of course it was!"

At that moment, Cardanis and Titania exited their rooms. At least they weren't leaving the same room, Anya thought. Cardanis was being a gentleman.

"I had the most horrible dream," Titania said. "Xellos was summoning me to Wolfpack Island, wherever that is."

"Xellos is attaching us through our dreams," Anya said. "He's trying to ruin our morale."

"We'll just have be tougher than he is," Valgaav said. "We should make for a port and hire a ship. That'll get us to Seyruun faster. Xellos will have a harder time reaching us there."

Cardanis nodded. "I'll have no trouble hiring a ship. And the nearest port is a day's walk away."

Anya nodded. "At least that would get us past the bounty hunters. Now let's get something to eat."

The four walked down into the common room, only to see nobody was there.

Cardanis frowned grimly."Something's not right – the innkeeper said this was when breakfast would be served. And the other guests are gone too."

Titania blanched. "You don't think Xellos…."

Anya drew her sword and ran downstairs. "Come down here," she said, "there's nobody here – nobody at all."

"That's what worries me", said Valgaav as the three remaining travelers walked slowly down the stairs.

Suddenly a massive wolf leapt at Anya! She ducked under it and slashed it with her sword. It landed on the floor, got up slowly, and growled.

"That blow should have killed it.", Anya said. "It must be a Mazoku wolf!"

At that moment another wolf appeared at the corner of each room. Valgaav opened his mouth and blasted one with his breath weapon; it reeled and dissipated. Cardanis reached for his sword, but Titania, grabbed his arm. "Normal weapons won't hurt them' Titania said. "I've learned at least that much about Mazoku."

"Try to get them all in one place!" cried Anya. "I'll hit them with a Dragon Slave!"

The wolves seemed to understand it, and began to form in a triangle around the four travelers. The travelers, in turn, had formed a defensive circle in the center, with Anya and Titian standing back to back with Valgaav and Cardanis to either side.

"Why do I have a feeling they have us right where they want us?" Titania asked.

A voice came from above. "You don't know how right you are." It said calmly. Anya recognized it instantly.

"Xellos! What's your game this time?"

Xellos alighted in the middle of the circle. 'Just wanted to take my daughter home." With that, Xellos set one hand on Any's shoulder and another on Titania's. And instant later, all three had vanished.

"Anya!" cried Valgaav.

"Titania!" cried Cardinas.

;ROAR! Cried the wolves, who chose that moment to leap.

TO BE CONTINUED….


	10. In the Clutches of Evil!

SLAYERS INHERITANCE

"In the Clutches of Evil! Welcome to Wolfpack Island!"

by Michael Hopcroft

"Anya Inverse here! Not that I'm exactly sure where 'here' is; last thing I knew we were fighting demon wolves then Xellos pops up out of nowhere and suddenly I'm – well, I'm wherever I am frankly I have no idea. Those wolves have better not have gotten Valgaav, or there'll be hell to pay!"

' RAH TILT!" cried Prince Cardanis as one of the wolves leapt at him. The wolf dissipated and vanished. He looked back at Valgaav. "OK, two of them, two of us. We need to get rid of these wolves. I'll hit the one on the left, you hit the one on the right!"

"Got it, Your Highness." Said Valgaav, who slew a wolf with his breath weapon. Cardanis let fly with another Rah Tilt, slaying the other one. They then looked around in dismay. The common room of the inn was in ruins, and worst of all Anya and Titania were not there.

"This is not good at all," said Cardanis. "I feel like I've failed them. Who knows where Xellos could have taken them?"

"You've never faced adversity, have you, Cardanis?" Valgaav asked.

"Not like this."

"I can tell because you're letting your panic interfere with your memory. Remember Anya and Titania's dreams? They both had a dream in which Xellos summoned them to Wolfpack Island, and then Xellos appears and whisks them away. Whenever I put two and two together I invariably get four."

Cardanis grabbed Valgaav by the shoulder. "Wolfpack Island! That's when Beastmaster Xellas Mentallium, Xellos' mistress, lives! The place is crawling with Mazoku! And it's thousands of miles away!"

"Yes, I know it's a very bad place for the girls to be. Which is why we're going there to get them." Valgaav smirked. "Are you up to a suicide mission, Your Highness?"

Cardanis shrugged. "If we go in expecting to die, we'll fail. My father says that was the most important lesson Lina Inverse taught him. We're going to go there and get our girls out!"

Valgaav blanched. "Wait just a minute here! Who said Anya was my girl? Certainly not Anya!"

"You'll never know unless you get her back. So do you have any idea how we can get there?"

A man in gold priest robes suddenly appeared in front of them. "Maybe I can help answer that question. I've been watching from your mother's house, Valgaav."

"Milgasia! Then you know what happened?"

"I know that Lina is ready to roast Xellos over an open spit. Your teleportation won't get you far enough unless I boost it. Besides, you don't even know where Wolfpack Island is, and I do."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Cardanis asked. "Or can you not send both of us?"

"Oh I can send both of you, but you won't arrive in exactly the same place. And once you're there we won't be able to watch over you. You're going to be on your own, in the middle of the enemy. The odds will be very much not in your favor."

Valgaav grabbed Milgasia's hand.  "Right now I don't give a flying damn about the odds! Just do it! Tell Mother I'm coming back WITH Anya!"

Cardanis took Milgasia's other hand and Milgasia recited a spell. In an instant the two were teleported away. Milgasia teleported away himself, and was soon back in Filia's inn.

"Well," asked Lina, "what's going to happen to my daughter?"

"Valgaav is charging to the rescue. I've got to give you credit, Filia dear, you raised the boy with guts."

Filia frowned grimly. "I just hope those guts don't get splattered the length and breadth of Wolfpack Island."

Lina was visibly shaking. In all her travels, not even she had dared take on the horrors of Wolfpack Island. Gourry took her shoulders in his calloused hands. "Darling, please calm down. Anya's going to come out of this. I promise."

"I shouldn't have let her go out alone!"

"And if you hadn't gone out alone all those years ago, none of us would be here. Have faith in our daughter – we owe her that much."

Lina kissed one of Gourry's hands and clutched it in her own for dear life. "I know, I'm just scared. I've never been this scared."

"You're a mother, whose beloved child is going into battle. Millions of people have experience what you're going through. All we can do now is hope and pray. L-sama willing, that will be enough."

*** 

Anya woke up alone in an ornate bedchamber. She looked at herself in the dim candlelight and saw that she was fully clothed and appeared unmolested. That, she thought, was the only good thing about her situation.

As her eyes adjusted to the light, she saw that there was no visible door out of the room. On the walls were frescoes of numerous things too revolting to mention. The situation was getting worse. She grabbed one of the bedposts and chanted a light spell, which illuminated the room much more brightly. More importantly, to Anya, it proved her magic still worked. 

She was thinking about this when Xellos suddenly teleported into the room. "How do you like your new quarters?" he said. "I trust the bed is comfortable and the décor not too excessive."

"I'd be happier with the décor if it u\included an exit." Anya replied. "What right do you have to bring me here, anyway? And where's Titania?"

"Safe. And frankly you don't want to leave this room. It's very dangerous to mortals inside. Some of the residents might think you're an intruder, and they don't like intruders. Trust me, you're safer here."

"All right, you might as well tell me what's going on. I know about Titania being your daughter and all, but what the hell do you want with me?"

Xellos sat down on the bed, and offered the spot next to him to Anya. She shook her head. "You see, Anya dearest, it's all about power. You have inherited from your mother great power, power too dangerous to my kind to be allowed to go unchecked. But that power could also be of great use to us if exercised properly. Did your mother ever tell you the goal of the Mazoku?"

"To destroy the world, and return it to a sea of Chaos.'

"OH, more than that. You see, once this world is destroyed we can reshape it – rebuild it into something more to our liking. You must admit the world outside is a cold, frightening place. With all this free will business running around, people keep making mistakes, falling into pits of their own devising, Greed, lust, hatred – so many traps that make people's lives miserable. We can change all that. We can build a world in which there is no lust, no greed, and no envy."

Anya shook her head. "But there would also be no hope, no joy, and no love. None of the things that make life worthwhile. Sorry to disappoint you, Xellos, but I won't be turned. I AM going to get out of here. I AM going to find Titania. The world may indeed go back to the Sea of Chaos – but not today."

"Odd," said Xellos, "you're talking as though I were YOUR prisoner and not the other way around.  The chamber pot is under the bed. I'll send you food and a new one every day until you see reason." With that, Xellos vanished.

Anya began to think. "Now what would be the best way to make a door?"

*** 

Titania had been trying every wall in her room. None of them budged. "Do they teleport everywhere around here?" she thought out loud.

"Now, now, Titania" said a voice behind her that Titania instantly recognized as Xellos. "Exercises in futility will get you nowhere."

Titania turned around. "You! Where am I? What have you done to Anya? Where's Cardanis?"

"Was that the young chimera's name? It's wouldn't surprise me if the Hounds had made short work of him. Princes belong in palaces, not in battles with monsters."

Titania looked him square in the eye. "You're lying. Cardanis is alive. Do you know how I know that? I know because there's something inside me that would tell me if he were dead."

"You're starting to sense the world around you. That's good. You are proving quite worthy, daughter. Now you must master the arts of subtlety and discretion. So far you've been able to exhibit flashes of raw destructive power, but to truly serve our mistress you're going to have to learn to control yourself, to use your powers when it is to your best advantage."

Titania walked up to Xellos and whispered in his ear. "Yes, discretion. Discretion tells me you know the way out of here, so it would be unwise to do what I really want to do right now – and kill you."

"Is that so? Well, let me let you in on a little secret, darling daughter of mine. If you did kill me, you would probably be doing my Mistress a favor. I sense she's growing tired of me, of my tricks and experiments. Pleasing such a demanding mistress is so wearing."

"Is that why you brought us here? So I could kill Xellas Mentallium for you?"

"No. You see, I love my mistress in spite of everything and would hate to see her come to harm. Aside from which, you couldn't hurt her anyway."

"Then why did you bring us here?'

"That is a secret." And with that Xellos vanished.

*** 

Valgaav appeared in the middle of a darkened hallway. He took out a stick from his belt ouch and cast a Light spell on it. The area thus illuminated did not make him feel very comfortable at all. "Cardanis!" he called out. "Are you there?" he got no answer, which led him to believe they must be farther apart than he had thought.

At that moment he heard a noise behind him. Valgaav turned and saw a great ravening beast, with huge, dripping jaws, bearing down on him. Apparently the thing thought lunch had been served unexpectedly.

As he tucked the lighted stick into the headband behind him so he wouldn't drop it, Valgaav came to the conclusion that this simply wasn't his day….

TO BE CONTINUED…


	11. The Heart of the Beast!

SLAYERS INHERITANCE

"The Heart of the Beast! Battle at Wolfpack Island!"

by Michael Hopcroft

"I'm Anya Inverse, and nothing pisses me off more than being stuck in a room with no door against my will be a creepy Mazoku priest! I can't believe this creep was ever one of Mother's friends!  Oh, the words I'll have with her if I ever get out of this mess!"

The roaring beast glared at Valgaav. Valgaav was actually surprised he had not pounced already.  Just as the monster leaped, Valgaav let loose with his breath weapon. The monster shattered and dissipated in mid-leap. It was then that Valgaav realized the teleport had left him completely disoriented. He had no idea where he was.

Still, it was no time to panic. Valgaav headed down the corridor, trying to stay alert and focused and not thinking too hard about what Anya might be going through.

He gave up quickly on seeking our Cardanis. The chimera prince could be miles away by now. But it was clear he needed directions of some sort. If he could find Xellos, he might get some answers. All he had to do was find an intelligent Mazoku and hope it felt fear….

*** 

Anya mentally ran through her list of spells. Dragon Slave? It was designed to attack beings, not walls, and would raise too much of alarm. Fireball? Probably ineffective. Then something struck her – maybe if she could remember a spell that would get rid of the wall with a minimum of bother… SHE HAD IT!

"DEMONA CRYSTAL!" shouted Anya, and an icy chill spread from her hands to the wall she was touching, covering and penetrating it with a sheet of ice. With one good kick, the wall shattered into a million pieces and Anya stepped through the opening.

Anya drew her sword and began to chant. "Spirits of air and darkness, spirits of twilight and crimson, I call on you to lend your power to this blade. In the great name of the Golden Queen of Chaos, I call you to my aid! GOLDEN BLADE!"   At the completion of the spell, Anya's blade started to glow a mixture of gold and crimson. For the next three hours, it would slay any Mazoku on whom she could land a solid blow. She noticed that as she had cast the spell, a delightful feeling of power had spread through her body. Had she really called upon the aid of the Lord of Nightmares? She began to wonder what would happen to her when the spell ended, and set out to find someone to intimidate. She wanted answers, she wanted to find Titania, and she wanted to spill Mazoku blood.

*** 

Cardanis drew his sword and cast a Lighting spell on it. He knew that on an island full of Mazoku, a torch was about all the fine Seyruun-crafted blade would be good for. With Valgaav nowhere to be seen, he realized he was completely on his own. Since he couldn't really fight the Mazoku before running out of energy, he would have to find ways to avoid them. Muttering a spell to silence his footsteps, Cardanis headed down the corridor. He knew he was going north, but not knowing the layout of the complex it didn't help him at all.

Behind him he heard the sounds of spiders – big spiders. He was hoping they hunted by sound, but he wasn't going to count on it. He closed his eyes for a moment to try and sense for Mazoku, but the whole island reeked of their presence so much it was impossible to make out individuals. Quickly finding a cubbyhole in the corridor, he ducked inside just as two enormous spiders passed him by.

None of this was helping him find Titania, visions of whom filled his mind. He would need to take a more direct approach. There was a Shamanist spell that could be used to locate a particular person over long distances. He wondered if the stench of black magic about the place would interfere with it, but he decided it was worth a try. He began to chant the incantation.

He was so wrapped up in the spell that when the club hit his head, knocking him unconscious, he didn't even notice.

*** 

Half an hour later a large, husky Mazoku carrying a club dragged Cardanis into a throne room. Beastmaster, with a wine glass in her hand and a cigarette in a holder handing from her lips, seemed puzzled. "Did you bring me a corpse?"

"No corpse." Said the Mazoku. "He still breathes.  I don't understand it – why didn't he die?"

Beastmaster stepped down for a closer look. "This is no ordinary man – he's a chimera. Xellos!"

Xellos teleported to her side. "Yes, Mistress. I am here. What do you wish of me?"

"Explain THIS!" she said, pointing a long finger at Cardanis. Xellos examined the inert but still-living body.

"This chimera was traveling with Titania," he said. "Apparently he is a member of the Seyruun royal family."

"Did you bring him here?"

"Certainly not! He got here entirely on his own. If such devotion were not a human trait it would be almost admirable. If eh is here, it is possibly the dragon boy is here too."

"Find and slay him!" Beastmaster commanded. "And slay this one too."

"Mistress, much as it pains me to question a direct order, perhaps this chimera can still be of some use to us. He could be the very means by which to make Titania more cooperative."

Beastmaster took a draw on her cigarette. "Intriguing. Go on."

"Titania seems to care about this man a great deal. Humans will sacrifice anything for those they care about – even their own humanity."

"Disgusting trait," Beastmaster muttered. "So you're suggesting we offer her his life in exchange for her becoming a full Mazoku and entering our service?"

"Exactly, and then when she is purged of her human qualities we kill him anyway. After we play with him a while. May I suggest we chain him to that wall? That way we can keep a constant vigil over him until the time comes."

'Excellent! This way everyone gets what they want!" And Beastmaster's laughter filled the room.

*** 

Anya had lost count of the number of Mazoku she had slain. It seemed that every time she turned a corner another beats was charging at her. Unfortunately, none of them had told her anything about what she really wanted to know. 

Around the corner in front of her she heard a strange sound. She raised her sword, rapidly turned around and saw – "Valgaav!"

"Don't hit me! I'm not that bad, I promise!"

"Valgaav, what the bloody hell are you doing here?"

"Do you think I'd leave you alone in a pit of monsters? I promised your mother that I would bring you back in one piece, and that's what I'm going to do. Look out, there's one behind you."

Anya wheeled around and slaughtered the charging beast. "Thanks. But this is getting us nowhere. We need to run into something intelligent that will tell us where Xellos is."

"Why Xellos? Much as I'd like to take a few pieces out of his dirty Mazoku hide, is that going to help us find Cardanis and Titania?

Anya frowned. "I think Xellos is the key to this whole puzzle. He knows where Titania is being kept. He knows what happened to Cardanis. And he knows what his game is. If I can find out what his game is…."  
  


Valgaav appeared to sniff the air. "You may get your wish, Anya. I think he's coming."

"Prepare yourself. It may be us or him."

"I would rather it were him."

In between Anya and Valgaav, Xellos suddenly appeared. "So there you are." He said. "Everyone's been looking all over for you. Breaking out of your room was not very wise, Anya, but I suppose I should expect nothing less from the daughter of Lina Inverse."

"Leave my mother out of this! And tell us where Titania and Cardanis are or, I swear to L-sama I'll kill you where you stand."

Xellos blanched. "You swear by the Lord of Nightmares? You must be especially brave, given how she collects on her bargains."

Anya smiled grimly. "I never thought I'd see this – Xellos frightened. It's a wonderful thing."

"Now, there's no need for threats here. If you kill me you'll never get out of here. But have you considered that the game may be already lost? I am going to achieve my goal very soon. And I will let you watch as Titania graduates and becomes an adult. Follow me, please."

"I'll follow you," Anya said, "but if you harm anyone – so much as a hair, this enchanted sword is going straight into your back, and I'll follow it up with some really nasty spells."

*** 

After what seemed like a long walk, Xellos emerged into the Beastmaster's throne chamber. "You should be honored, Anya Inverse. Not even your fabled mother got to lay eyes on Beastmaster Xellas Mentallium."

Beastmaster, who looked like a well-built young woman in a very skimpy outfit and fishnet stockings, with a wineglass in one hand and a cigarette holder with a lit cigarette in the other, appeared actually surprised. "Xellos, I did not instruct you to bring the boy to me alive."

"It's more delicious this way," said Xellos. "Think of this as the graduation feast for Titania. Their despair on realizing the thoroughness of their defeat will be a banquet for all of us." At that moment Xellos teleported, just in time to get out of the way of a wicked thrust from Anya's sword.

"How boring," said Beastmaster. "We can't have our audience playing around with weapons, can we?" With a wave of her hand, Anya's sword was ripped out of her hand and flew to the ground at the Beastmaster's feet.  "Incidentally, I have also sealed off your formidable magic powers, young lady. And as for your, young dragon, you will find that both your breath weapons and your transformative abilities will not work here, so don't even try."

Xellos reappeared beside the Beastmaster. "Allow me to call your attention to the far wall.", and he pointed his staff to where a familiar figure was chained spread-eagles to the wall.

"Cardanis!" Anya cried. "What have you done to him?"

"That is a secret. Aside from which, your places await." Suddenly hands of invisible force lifted Anya and Valgaav and lifted them to the wall on either side of Cardanis. Chains appeared from the wall and clasped around their wrists and ankles.

"XELLOS!" cried Anya. "You son of a bitch!"

Xellos turned to Beastmaster and smiled gleefully. "And now, the final player in our drama – the guest of honor, if you will."

Suddenly Titania appeared in the middle of the room. The very first thing she noticed was her three friends chained to the wall. "Cardanis! Anya! Valgaav!" She turned to Xellos. "Why? Why have you done this?"

"That's not important," said Xellos. "What do mere humans matter to the likes of you? Besides, I wanted you to meet your grandmother."

Beastmaster stood from her throne, walked up to Titania, and took her hand. "I am charmed to meet my granddaughter. You've been dreaming all this time that you were a mortal girl. It's time we woke you up."

TO BE CONTINUED…


	12. The Darkness Explodes!

SLAYER INHERITANCE

"The Darkness Explodes! Triumph of the Beastmaster!"

by Michael Hopcroft

"No time to talk now! We're in a huge crisis here on Wolfpack Island! Valgaav, Cardanis and I are chained to the wall and can only watch as Titania is brought before Beastmaster Xellas! To say this doesn't look good is to understate the situation tremendously – we may have a front-row seat to the end of the world!"

Titania stared at the Beastmaster. "Wake up? I don't want to make up?"

Beastmaster Xellas smiled in a predatory way. "Your attachment to human things is your great weakness, darling. It's what keeps you from achieving your full potential. Your power is greater than you can imagine, greater than you could have dreamed."

Titania shook her head. "All I can do is destroy. I don't want that kind of power."

"But there is glory in destruction! There is power! There is grace and beauty in destruction!  All things that live just eventually die, all things that are built must eventually be destroyed. You are an instrument of the universe's will to obliterate itself."

Titania tried to pull her hand away, but the Beastmaster's grip was too strong.  "No! No, I don't believe that! You let me go!"

Anya, hanging from the wall, cheered. "You tell her, Titania! You don't have to –"and then, as Anya continued talking, she discovered to her horror that no words were coming out of her mouth.

"That's enough out of you, Anya Inverse!" said the Beastmaster. "You just be quiet" Anya screamed back obscenities that nobody heard, because she was silent.

Cardanis awoke, and tried to call out to Titania, only to find that his voice too was gone. He looked to either side and saw Anya and Valgaav both shouting in complete silence.

Beastmaster turned back to Titania and smiled wickedly. "Now that that distraction is out of the way, Titania dearest, now you can listen to your granny."

"You're not my grandmother. I don't even know you. All I know about you is that you're an evil monster?"

"Evil?  You wound me, darling. I am no more evil than a typhoon or an earthquake. I am no more evil than a disease. Destruction is part of this world, as important as creation and greater in power. Good and evil are meaningless concepts in this world where sorcerers call on the power of demons for altruistic ends. Doesn't it seem strange to you that when your friend Anya casts her most powerful spells she calls on the power of beings like me? Or didn't she tell you that?"

Titania looked up sadly at Anya, silently screaming at the Beastmaster. She trafficked with demons? Anya? Her friend?

"You see, darling, you are not just a force of what you call 'evil'. Your power can be used for what you see as good as well. So why not embrace your power and let its force go where it will?"

Involuntarily, Titania began to blow with a black, dark light. "No, no." she murmured. "What's happening to me?"

"You're waking up, darling. You're becoming a Mazoku, discovering your true self."

Titania looked up at her three friends, hanging on the wall. Then she saw Cardanis. He was not screaming in silence like the others. Instead, he was mouthing words slowly and carefully. Although fire was burning inside her body, Over and over again, the same three words: "I Love You".

Titania then turned her eyes to the Beastmaster, who was smiling almost with benevolence. "Yes, you can let go of them now. Your earthly ties are finished now. You can come to my side, my beloved grandchild."

"Grandmother, do Mazoku seek destruction of everything?"

"That is what we were born and bred for."

"Even themselves?"

"Yes. The final oblivion is joyous to us."

Titania smiled. "Then let me give you a birthday present from your granddaughter."

The Beastmaster blanched. "What do you mean?"

"I mean I give you destruction. Your fondest wish, your greatest triumph."

"But who will guide you? Who will lead you along the path?"

"I can guide myself. It is time for your end, Beastmaster." Tatiana spoke the last words with blood-chilling calm. "Die."

The black light flowed from Titania's body to the Beastmaster's, enveloping her and slowly consuming her. Beastmaster screamed in agony. "What – what is happening?" the Beastmaster cried. "Nobody is this powerful!"

Xellos approached the scene almost timidly, in awe/. "Such power! I didn't know you had it in you, my darling daughter."

Beastmaster gave one last scream of "Darling!" and then dissipated. Where she had stood there was nothing but black fire.

Titania turned her eyes, now glowing red and burning with heat, towards Xellos. "What do you think of your darling daughter now? Should I give you my gift next?"

"Thanks, but I'll pass. The joy of obliteration can wait for another day.' And with that Xellos vanished.

Titania screamed. 'XELLOS!" Black flame shot from the top of her head, struck the ceiling of the great hall, and exploded.

"TITANIA!" Anya screamed, discovering that she could speak again. Instinctively she case Levitation on herself and her two friends, as the chains holding them crumbled to dust."

The black flame continued to spread around Titania. "Are we really seeing what I think we're seeing?" Cardanis asked.

Valgaav clenched his teeth in frustration. "Titania is out of control. She just slaughtered one of the Five Lieutenants without breaking a sweat. Is there anything that can stop her now?"

The three floated down to the floor. Anya said "Our only hope is that there is some trace of humanity left in Titania, Otherwise, she's going to keep rampaging until everything is destroyed."

Titania turned to her friends. In here eyes Anya could see no trace of the friend she new. There was only power. Anya instinctively threw up a protection sphere around her three companions as Titania's flame washed over it. The wall behind them shattered and the ceiling started coming down on top of them, burying the wall of protection under rubble.

There was an explosion from underneath the pile of rubble and pieces flew away, revealing Anya surrounded by a glowing yellow flame. Valgaav and Cardanis looked at her in awe-struck terror. "Go get my sword." Anya said.

"But that means…." Cardanis objected.

"Do it!" Valgaav raced over to the remains of Beastmaster's throne and picked up Anya's still-glowing sword. He threw it to Anya, who took up a defensive posture,

Cardanis was shocked. "You can't do it, Anya! Titania is your friend!"

Anya gave him a grim, hard stare. "Listen, Your highness! This is the world we're talking about here! The whole stinking world! Yes, Titania is my friend, and no I don't want to do it, but that thing isn't Titania anymore. It's something different. I don't want to do it. And if I can find a way to avoid it I will, but you'll just have to face the fact that if the world is to survive Titania may have to die!"

TO BE CONCLUDED….


	13. Claim the Inheritance!

SLAYERS INHERITANCE

"Claim the Inheritance! The Victory of love!"

by Michael Hopcroft

"I'm the seriously pissed-off Anya Inverse! Titania's gone Mazoku on us big time, and she's powerful enough that she just slew Beastmaster Xellas! Now that we have her undivided attention, it may come down to killing her or watching her destroy the world. I won't say my heart isn't breaking, but I have people at home counting on me!"

Anya and Titania stared at each other. Titania's body was shrouded in black flame, and her eyes glowed with flame. 'So, Anya," she said, "It's come down to this. Two friends fighting and one must die."

"I don't want to believe that," replied Anya. "There's got to be another way."

Anya answered by raising her hand and unleashing a gout of flame. The flame struck Anya's sword and dissipated.  "Wow! I didn't think Golden Blade was THAT powerful!" said Anya. She stood her ground, holding her defensive position.

"What's stopping you?" said titian. "Why aren't you attacking?"

"Because I don't want to! Dammit, Titania, you can't give up now! I can't give up on you!"

"I am no longer Titania. I crave destruction, and the destruction I crave most is my own. Attack!" Anya answered her with silence. "What are you waiting for? Attack!"

Anya was about to speak, when a voice came from behind her "Titania," came the voice of Cardanis, "You don't have to do this."

"Prince?" Anya looked startled. "What do you think you can do?"

"I'm not going to stand by and do nothing as the girl I love is consumed by darkness. I'm going to act."

"Can't you feel that heat? Her flames will consume you before you can reach her!"

"Then I'll die, but I'll die for love. I don't think that's a particularly bad way to go. "Cardanis began to walk steadily towards the enflamed Titania.

"Stop!" cried Titania. "NO closer!"

"Titania, I'm not going to give up on you. I'll never give up on you." Cardanis said. "You are going to be my bride, if you'll take me. And if you don't I'll never love anyone else."

"No! NO!" Titania let loose with a blast of energy which bypassed Cardanis and obliterated what was left of the wall. "NO! Why can't I destroy you?"

"Because you don't want to? Face it, Titania, this engine of destruction isn't you. You're a creator, your dreams are of hope. Even if you wanted to, you couldn't become a monster." Cardanis stepped into the flames surrounding Titania and disappeared into them.

"Cardanis!" cried Anya, as she prepared to charge.

"Wait, Anya," said Valgaav. "Watch."

The black flames built up into what seemed a raging inferno. Then they suddenly exploded outward. Anya and Valgaav were hurled to the floor. It took Anya a moment to realize she was still alive. As she pulled herself slowly to her feet, her eyes opened in amazement.

Cardanis and Titania, intact and human, were standing in the center of the ruins, locked in an embrace and a deep kiss. Anya was stunned.

"Do you feel that?" asked Valgaav.

"Feel what?" Anya replied.

"Exactly. There's not a trace of Mazoku anywhere."

"You mean Titania's fully human? How is that possible?"

"One guess."

Anya looked at the couple. "Love? LOVE did that?"

Valgaav nodded.. "Hard to believe isn't it, but there's the proof. "

Anya watched the embrace continue. "Hey, you two! Get a room!"

Titania and Cardanis reluctantly broke their embrace. "Will you marry me?" Cardanis asked.

"Oh yes! Yes I will!" said Titania.

*** 

Three weeks later the group arrived in Seyruun. They were immediately escorted to the throne room. The Queen beamed when she saw them "Cardanis! Welcome home!"

"Hi, Mother. I want you to meet my bride." Titania bowed her head.

"OH, she's so adorable!" cried an enthusiastic Queen Amelia. "But I thought you were bringing in a Mazoku to be sealed?"

"You could say the b\job's already been done," said Anya. "Hi, Auntie Amelia!"

"Anya! You've grown up into quite a young woman! Have you been a good servant of justice?"

"Well, I've done my part…."

"True Love is the greatest justice of all!" cried Amelia. "We'll have the wedding right away!"

Titania walked over to Anya. "Anya, you've stood by me all this time. Will you be my maid of honor?"

"Of course."

"And Valgaav," prince Cardanis said, "You have go to be my best man."

"Can you please do me a favor, Titania?" Anya asked.

"What is it?"

"You know when you throw the bouquet and the girl who catches it is going to be the next bride?" Anya was blushing.

"Yes, what about it?"

"Throw it the other way!"

Everyone face-faulted.

*** 

The wedding, like all royal weddings, was a grand event. It was surrounded by three days of feasting and celebration. Queen Amelia and Prince Consort Zelgadis were the pictures of parental pride, Titania was a lovely, shy bride, and Anya was a monster at the buffet table. Valgaav was beside her, eating not quite as much but still paying attention.

"Why?" *much* "are you"*much* "Staring at me?" Anya said.

"I was just wondering why you didn't want to catch the bouquet, or at least so you said."

"But Titania threw it to me anyway! What did I do to deserve this?"

"Is it really so bad?"

"I am NIT going to be the next bride! I am NOT going to get married."

"Fine then. Filia would skin me alive if I got married right away anyway."

Anya blushed a fiery red. "Hey, what makes you think it would be you anyway?"

"Nothing, Just that if I were ready to get married, I'd be willing to give it a try."

Anya turned on him. "Look, you'll have to work very, very hard if you want me to even THINK about marrying you!"

"Maybe that should be a goal then."  Valgaav leaned over and gave Anya a kiss on the lips. 

Anya gave him a stunned look, and the smiled. "That was nice, Valgaav, but when my mother finds out you are so dead."

"I didn't kiss your mother."

THE END OF SLAYERS INHERITANCE

COMING SOON – SLAYERS LEGACY


End file.
